Batman the Dark Knight
by Screaming Dean
Summary: This version of Batman is more of a powerful martial artist than the canon version. Chapter 6 is up. The Riddler makes his play to send Gotham City into chaos.
1. Making of the Bat

Batman the Dark Knight

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Batman or any of the series portrayed here. This is simply fanfiction.

!SOUND EFFECTS! _"THOUGHTS" _

Chapter One: Making of the Bat.

"My baby's name is Bruce, Great-Grandfather! Isn't he just darling?" the child's mother, Martha said to the very old Korean man after arriving home from the hospital.

"Hmm. I can tell from here he will be strong."

"How can you tell something like that?"

"I know these things, Martha. I would like to establish a heir for my martial arts style before I die."

"You want to babysit him sometimes?"

"That's a good idea. The sooner I start the better," Shin Fong Yu, a master of sinanju, explained.

"All right. I rather have a relative taking care of him. This mansion is so huge. Thomas said he was rich but I never thought he was this rich."

"Money has it's place but there are things money cannot buy."

As Bruce grew older Shin trained him, preparing his body, mind and spirit for sinanju training. In time Bruce learned acrobatics, breakfall, contortionism and other supplementary martial arts skills including the ability to jump a lot higher and move faster than most people could.

But Bruce only went through the training to satisfy his Shin. He wasn't as dedicated as Shin would have liked but his abilities and ki were a lot greater than some American black belt karate dancers Shin had seen, showing that the foundation for sinanju had already been built.

One day Bruce's father, Thomas, took note of the training Shin was putting Bruce through. "What are you doing, training him for the olympics?" he asked.

"Ah, yes. Training for Olympics and his general health. I've also trained his mind so he'll be sharper and more aware of his environment. His math skills are greater also. A rich man needs a sharp mind," Shin answered.

Thomas paused for a moment. Then he said, "as long as he doesn't get hurt. Oh, by the way, this evening Martha and I are taking Bruce to the opera. Rich boys must be cultured as well."

"The opera?" Bruce whined.

"Yes, Bruce. You can go back to training for the Olympics tomorrow," Thomas said with sarcastic finality. Shin motioned Bruce to obey his father as Bruce went upstairs and got ready for the opera.

XXX

After the opera was over, Bruce and his parents were walking towards their car when they were accosted by a couple of thugs.

"Give us the purse and that necklace you're wearing, bitch!" one of the thugs said as he reached for Martha violently while the other thug pointed a gun in Thomas' direction, backing his up confederate.

"Get your hands off my wife you piece of filth!" Thomas yelled as he rushed the thug. !POP!POP! "Ungh!"

"Thomas! Thomas! You shot him! Oh, God! Why did..."

"Shut up, bitch!" !POP!POP!

"We can't afford to leave any witnesses so you gotta die too. Sorry, kid." !POP!POP! !POP!POP! "Stay still, you stupid kid!" the thug demanded. Jake, help me gun this kid down!"

"I've tried but he's moving too fast, Joe! I'm outta bullets."

"Then reload, dumbass!" !WOOOOOO!WOOOOOO!

"Joe, we gotta get outta here! The cops is coming!" Jake said, pulling Joe away. But before he left, Joe quickly whipped out a blackjack and stuck Bruce on the back of the head with it, knocking him down as the boy stared at the corpses of his parents. Bruce didn't get out of the house that much so he was somewhat paralyzed and in shock by what had just happened, staring like a zombie after the men who ran away into the darkness. As he cradled his dead mother's head in his arms he cried out into the night, sobbing for the last time in his life.

XXX

After Bruce's parents were taken to the hospital and were declared dead on arrival, the doctors called in the police who questioned the listless boy for an hour who answered their questions the best he could, giving descriptions of the thugs and explaining what had happened.

Bruce seemed spaced out as Alfred drove him home from the hospital and the police station, staring into space, his thoughts unknown to everyone but himself. As soon as he got home he went straight to where Shin was in a hidden room in the mansion, meditating. "I want you to keep training me. I swear to you I will take your training more seriously," Bruce said solemnly as he looked up at him with an intensity Shin had never seen in him.

"I have heard about the death of your parents for which I'm very sorry. But I'm surprised at your new determination."

"I'm ready," the young boy stated with confidence.

"All right. I will start advancing your training. It will not be easy. But it will be possible. Since I've trained you since before you could walk the foundation has been laid. Now the real training begins. I must finish your training quickly because I don't have long to live," Shin stated.

"Now see here!" Alfred protested. "Make certain your training is not too dangerous. And I'll have you know that Master Bruce's education must continue. Not just school but as a sophisticated gentleman."

Bruce thought about that. He had already decided to wage a war on crime. The sophisticated rich gentleman would be a facade so he would get an education in many things. He had no intention of growing up to be a powerful idiot.

"Of course, Alfred. I'll grow up to be a gentleman as well," Bruce said respectably.

XXX

"Huff! Huff!"

"Keep at it, Bruce. I'm happy you're not complaining about the training the way you sometimes used to do. Your dedication is phenomenal. I've never seen such determination. You may well master the art before I die."

"Yes, Master! Huff!"

"Good work landing on your feet after those somersaults. You're doing them exactly correct despite the 100 pounds I've laden you with. Are you getting exhausted, Bruce?"

"No, Master!" the young boy blurted out, wanting to be the best he could be.

_"Despite his hard training or because of it, Bruce is a much better student at school. He's also doing a lot of extra studying that he doesn't have to do. Bruce has even learned speed reading, lightning calculator and memory training. Upon learning these talents he has brought other kinds of tutors to learn so many skills that have practically nothing to do with martial arts. It's amazes me how Bruce manages to constantly get such competent people to teach him their skills" _

_"His father and his mother both had charisma but Bruce has taken these inborn abilities of his to an extreme. I get the suspicious feeling that the young boy doesn't plan to simply be a martial artist."  
_

"Stop and rest, Bruce. Use the regenerative exercises I've taught you. Yes, that's it. It's very important you remember to how properly recover from the most grueling training and workouts. One of the greatest Chinese martial arts of the last century died because he trained extremely hard and did not know how to recover. This may seem tedious now but you're thank me for this when you're a whole lot older and this technique will be most necessary."

"There's another subject I'd like to talk to you about, Bruce."

"What is it, Master?"

"Alfred has no reason to complain about your academics. So why do you spend so much time reading and studying more than you have to? "

"I don't just plan to be a martial artist. I also plan to be a detective. It's pointless being stronger than my enemies if I'm easily outsmarted," Bruce answered.

"If it's revenge you're looking for you're much stronger than the ones that killed your parents. I sense there's something else you're training for," Shin replied.

"There is. It's not just revenge against the thugs who killed my parents, but against people like them. I plan to wage a war against crime all together."

"I see," Shin said.

As time went on Shin had brought in other martial arts teachers he respected, having Bruce learn gung fu(the ability to take a beating and have blunt attacks bounce off), iron skin(the ability to resist killing attacks), tai chi and speed hitting(the ability to hit a target dozens of time in seconds).

Bruce had mastered sinanju by the time he was sixteen, a little after this Shin died. There was a small funeral after which Bruce had him buried near his own parents.

XXX

"Master Bruce. Why are you still training in that strange fighting style your great-great-grandfather taught you? I appreciate the fact that you've done very well in school, graduating college at such a young age. But what exactly are you planning?" Alfred asked as he served Bruce breakfast, a strange breakfast, the kind of food Shin used to force him to eat.

"I'm not finished yet. I'm going to learn all the fighting styles of the world if I can. The training my great-great-grandfather put me through allows me to learn other styles quickly and even improve on them. I'm also learning everything I can about the human body and what it's capable of doing, surpassing it's limits. I'm combining the science of the west with the mysticism of the east into a deadly, powerful combination."

"Exactly how many styles do you need to learn?" Alfred asked the young man.

"So far, in addition to what my great-great-grandfather and his friends have taught me I've learned Japanese Bujutsu, American boxing, Thai kick boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian jiu jitsu, shorin kempo karate and aikido, several styles of street fighting, several styles of commando training, wing chun kung fu, shaolin kung fu, tae kwon do, hapkido, the Korean martial art, tuk-gong moo-sul and almost every other fighting style on the planet. I've found using my own satellite to see what goes on and watching practitioners training in secret martial arts very interesting."

"But what of all the studying you've been doing? I'm sure your parents would be proud of you if you would only finish your post graduate education," Alfred answered.

"The sinanju training I've gone through has sharpened my mind and increased my learning curve to the point where I've been able to learn sciences and technology quickly as well. But the speed reading, lighting calculator, photographic memory and speed learning training I've learned from some brilliant experts has also helped me to learn what I needed to know. What I've learned will help in my new career."

"What career is that?" Alfred asked curiously.

"A career as a crime fighter. I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to do it but my main goal is to destroy the kind of people who killed my parents. I've even tried to learn psychic powers. I didn't get any psychic powers but I learned how to do the same thing psychics do but better with accurate data. But more important than all that, I learned how to do detective work. I've learned from the best detectives in the world. But there's some more things I need to learn."

"What would that be?"

"I need to know how things work from the criminal prospective."

XXX

When Bruce turned seventeen he left for New York City, New York. He had already learned how to disguise himself and use fake I.D.s to the point that he had even borrowed an identity for himself from a man called Falco Spumonti, an Italian American from Chicago who had moved to New York a couple years back. He wore street clothes that were similar to what most Italian Americans wore. He knew all the lingo and street language but only from books.

__

"I need to learn about the street from the street. I already know everything about Gotham City's mean streets. I've even learned about Chicago's streets. Now it's time for me to learn about New York City's underworld element. I've done a lot of reading but the reading and studying I've done aren't enough; I need to learn even more."

I've studied the person I'm pretending to be. The real Falco Spumonti died from having been strangled to death, his assassins, burying him into the ground afterwards. Falco was buried so deep in a cave no one found the body except for me. The ability to sense things and track down people even though they were dead really came in handy after I heard that someone had been whacked. Doing a backwards tracking, retracing the steps of the guys who had bragged about killing Spumonti was also helpful. It's interesting what one can hear about in a seedy bar if someone hides in plain sight. If anyone asks how "I" survived I'll say I played dead after my attackers had strangled me and climbed my way out of the hole they had dumped me in."

"I've been studying the underbelly of this city for a while now. The ability to hide in the shadows has been very useful. I know what crimes I will have to do as Falco in order to learn even more about how things work but sooner or later I'll have to be arrested. From prison I'll get even more knowledge about how criminals think. Being identified as Falco Spumonti won't be a problem since I've already used my computer skills to hack into his ID stats and information. Once that was done I created a set of extremely thin, clinging invisible gloves that create matching fingerprints of the man I'm supposed to be. This completes the disguise. No one will be able to connect Mr. Spumonti to Bruce Wayne."

"Hey, Falco! I heard ya got whacked!" Falco's capo, Vito Gambino, who was a very large and intimidating man said, walking up to him with two other large men behind him.

"I'm too freakin tough to get whacked by the Luchese Family's hired guns," Falco answered.

"I'm glad to hear that Falco. Since you're back, we might as well put you back to work. Replacing you was tougher than I thought it would be. I want ya to run the underground casino tonight. We've moved since the last time you ran it so I'll have to show ya where it is. But first come with us," Vito said in a friendly manner.

"All right, fellas. Lead the way," Falco answered. Once they were inside a building where no one else could see them Vito's mood changed.

"Are ya wearing a wire, Falco?" Vito asked with hostility.

"No, Vito. I would never do somethin like that!"

"Search im, boys!" As the other two complied they found nothing on Falco but cold hard cash.

"What is this, Vito? Do ya want me to work for ya or not? If ya don't trust me I'll go somewhere else, maybe to Las Vegas; I hear they pay good money out there."

"Take it easy, Falco. I had to be sure. There's plenty of work here. You coming back from the dead was too good to be true. I didn't think you had turned rat but I had to be sure. You gotta lot money on ya, though. Did ya rob those Luchese guys before they tried to off ya or what?" the capo asked.

"Something like that. After I survived their attempt to wack me I doubled back and took some of their stash they had hidden. I was coming here to cut ya in. I swear!" Falco stated.

"All right. I believe ya. You were always a weasel and a sneak, Falco. That's one of the reasons ya always did the jobs I wanted ya ta do. I'll just take my cut now," Vito said as he took 40 percent of the money.

"If ya keep bringing me money like dis the Gambino Family might just make ya a made man so keep up the good work, Falco!" Vito said, happily slapping Falco on the back. "Now, Rocko will show ya where the tonight's game is being held."

"Did ya hear the news, Marco?"

"What news, Vinnie?" the Luchese capo asked.

"Falco Spumonti ain't dead; he's alive and well."

"What?"

"Falco's alive, I tell ya. He's working for Vito Gambino, running some of the Gambino underground casino games and doing other odd jobs for the them. Everyone knows that we tried to take him out and failed. It's worse that he robbed us of the money we had hidden. We can't afford to let something like that slide. It's bad for business and respect."

!SMASH! "I wanted that guy dead! No one robs the Luchese Family. Nobody!" Marco screamed, smashing the table in front of him with his massive strength!

"We sent some more hit men after Falco but he beat them up. They even broke into his apartment and waited for him."

"What happened then, Vinnie?" the capo asked.

"The hitmen told me that Falco appeared right in the midst of them out of thin air and beat the tar out of them, severly injuring them. He then dumped them in a dark alley."

"I'm surprised he didn't just kill them outright. What do we do about this Falco guy, Vinnie?"

"We'll get him, Marco. We'll get him."

"How?"

"My spies have told me where the hidden casino is being held. I can let the cops I've paid off know where the game is being played and tell them to be particularly ruff with Falco. If Falco survives these cops of mine we can have him whacked in prison," the capo's lieutenant offered.

"I like the sound of that, Vinnie. You do that and keep me informed," the Luchese capo ordered.

"Falco" had heard the whole conversation from the bugging devices he had placed in their headquarters. After the corrupt cops had busted him and beaten him up, they put in Sing Sing in lea of his trial. He went through the motions of calling his lawyer only to get in an argument with him and fire him so he could stay in prison for a much longer time, learning how things worked there.

_"I've learned a lot from the__ psychopaths, nihilists, rapists and other criminals with whom I'm incarcerated, beating them was needed. In time, eventually learning how to get along with the other prisoners, listening to them as they talked about why they did the things they did. And more importantly how they did or didn't get caught. I've also learned how some criminals are connected and able to still exert control over their gangs and operatives from their jail cells. This has all been very interesting but it's time for me to leave."_

Bruce easily escaped from prison, setting things up so that nobody ever saw Falco Spumonti again.

XXX

When Bruce had turned nineteen he traveled to a strange place in Southeast Asia. He had learned about the place through studying and the research he had done.

This place was a deserted temple. As Bruce walked inside the temple he saw a glowing orb. When he reached out to touch it, Bruce felt like his mind was going to explode due to the pain his head was in. The pain eventually caused him to slip into unconscious.

When he "woke" up he saw Shin regarding him. "Great-great-grandfather! What are you doing here? And where am I?" Bruce asked.

"When I died I left a bit of my spirit in you. After today you will never see me again. There is one more element of your training I want you to go through. Despite your vaunted abilities there will be people more powerful than you in your fight against crime as you call it. This is more of a practice run so you can deal with some of the opponents you will fight in the future. So prepare yourself!" Shin ordered as opponents Bruce had never seen before attacked him.

As soon as Bruce knocked one down two more took it's place., making it seem as if he was fighting an army. They weren't all martial artists or humans for that matter, some being strange creatures, robots and super powered individuals. As this fight went on it seemed as if he had been fighting for hours. During this "time" his fighting skills increased even more than humanly possible. He also developed an increased awareness of his environment. In fact his intelligence and all of his skills increased but more than anything else his fighting ability increased.

After this long period of time, defeating the last man standing, Shin reappeared. "Your training is now complete. I am very proud of you. You've gone beyond all my hopes. Now good bye, my son," Shin said as he disappeared.

Bruce awoke where he had been struck unconscious before. _"No time has passed. But despite all that my strength and skill has increased. There's no stopping me now."_ Then he left the temple forever changed.

XXX

When Bruce returned he was met by Alfred who noticed that Bruce was a lot more powerful than before. _"Shin has definitely left his mark on Master Bruce. But I think what really changed him was his parents dying. I hope I can convince him to be the gentleman his parents wanted him to be."_

"Greetings, Master Bruce. I hope you're through adventuring and plan to finish the rest of your time at the university and get your bachelors of science degree."

"Yes, Alfred. I'll do that. But I plan to do so much more."

"What is that, Master Bruce?"

"I plan to redecorate the mines under my property. It's going to be my base of operations. But I don't want anyone else to know about it," Bruce answered.

"Base of operations for what, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked curiously.

"My war against crime. I plan to gather as much information as I can on several criminals and store them in computers. The area is very huge so I will have to create robots to help me," Bruce explained.

XXX

Bruce had mastered the ability to get eight hours of sleep out of only one hour of sleep. This gave him more time to train physically, mentally, spiritually and do all things he needed to do to prepare for what he was going to be.

He did his homework and studying rather quickly and easily but he spent most of his time building his underground base of operations with the help of the remote controlled robots he had made. He also had the help of the technician, Lucius Fox, who ran his business for him. Bruce had investigated him so he knew Lucius was honorable.

"What do you need all this for, Bruce?" Lucius asked him build his underground base without exactly knowing what it was all about. "It's as if you're planning your own intelligence agency. And all the robots you want built. Do you think you can replace a lot of employees with them?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just a hobby I'm getting into. I've been curious about technology. But keep all of this secret. I don't want anyone to know I'm that interested in things like this," Bruce answered.

"All right."

XXX

After getting his post graduate degree Bruce took up race car driving, piloting aircraft and boats, learning how to operate all kinds of vehicles under combat conditions. He also befriended experts and technicians on vehicles and the like, getting useful information from them.

He used what he learned and got help to create a better car, plane and speedboat, building his underground base to accommodate all of the vehicles he would use. At the same time he learned everything he could about how to repair and maintain these vehicles. Even Alfred had accommodated Bruce by learning how to maintain everything in the underground cave.

"I don't see why you feel the need to have so many sophisticated vehicles down here, Master Bruce. You have enough technology and material here to make the MI6 or the CIA green with envy."

"That may be true but I plan to supersede all the intelligence agencies of the world. Not just with technological know how but up here as well," Bruce said, tapping his head.

"Well, Master Bruce. You certainly are on your way. My word."

"That's true. I have the best computers I could find befriending some of the most competent tech nerds in the country. They've taught me a whole lot about computers that I didn't learn in school. I've even improved upon what I've learned to make my base of operations more secure."

"Is that why you traveled around the world?"

"It wasn't just for that. Learning how to make and use ropes and lines while learning how to climb mountains was also important for me in order to swing from building to building."

"Are you plan on becoming Tarzan, Master Bruce?"

The young man turned towards his butler for a moment. "I did learn how to swing from vine to vine while I was in Africa was helpful as well but Tarzan beats his chest and screams. I'm going to be much more quiet than that. However, I did dress up much like a barbarian while learning how to survive various, dangerous environments and deal with dangerous man-eating animals. I even dealt with a few man eating giants in the Solomon Islands," Bruce said nonchalantly as he continued to work on his underground base.

"Dear heavens, Master Bruce! Man-eating giants? I was certain there was no such thing."

"I thought so as well but many subjects like giants, little green men, aliens, inter-galactic worm holes, time travel, environmental disasters, man-made or otherwise and many other conspiracy theories have some basis in fact. I have no intention of being surprised by such things if they should come across my path," Bruce said with a sense of cold determination.

"What about the law, Master Bruce? It would be a lot more proper for you to get a job as police detective. With your ambition and drive you'd have no problem rising up through the ranks as a police inspector. Why didn't you at least get your law enforcement degree?" the butler asked with a sense of curiosity.

"I've learned everything about the law on a local, state and federal levels, spending time at the FBI, US Marshal and NSA academies, "washed out" of each of them after having learned what I needed to know."

"Why did you wash out?"

"I've since found out there is a whole lot of corruption and bureaucracy involved with law enforcement. All of that would hinder me. There's also a lot of corruption in law enforcement. So I'm going to work from the street, dealing with criminals who think they're above the law because they pay off the cops and for other reasons."

"Some of these criminals can be very frightening, Master Bruce. I hate to see you dealing with the likes of them."

"I can deal with them. I've done a lot of studying on fear, fearlessness, interrogation and intimidation. I've even gone so far as to know everything I could about mind control, illusion, mind reading and hypnotism. And more importantly how to resist thing like these. That is the main point of what I'm doing here. People who engage in these kinds acts in a villainous manner will answer to me."

"I see."

XXX

As soon as his underground base and everything else was practically ready, Bruce sat down in his study, thinking of a way to complement what he was planning. _"Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot. I need some kind of gimmick that will make criminals fear me."_

At that moment a bat flew through the window. _"That reminds me of when I fell through a mine shaft when I was six years old. The bats that came out of the woodwork were frightening at first but then I felt some kind of kinship with them. I didn't think too much of that at the time but now. That's it. I'll be a dark, brooding character of the night."_

Bruce started working on his uniform, making it resemble a bat made it out of light but very efficient armor. He made sure that he could carry all sorts of equipment on his armored uniform. He made his armored uniform something that would be hard to remove including his cowled helmet. Then he set up a utility belt that would be a part of his armored uniform with much of his equipment and weapons located there in. He even used the skill he had learned from Shin called subspace so he could have some hidden omni-gadgets he might need in case of an unforeseen emergency.

Once everything was finished he was ready. He got in his newly christened Batmobile and took off into the night. The Batman was born.

_"My first target will be Joe Chill. He's the one who murdered my parents. He's become a mid level crime boss. The other man who was with him when my parents were killed has since died in a shootout with the police."_

XXX

Joe felt life had been good to him, lately after having worked his way up in Boss Zucco's organization. Things were going well as everyone had paid their protection setting him up for a promotion. Everything was going great except for the nightmares he'd been having. He kept dreaming that the kid whose parents he killed would come after him making Joe wake up in a cold sweat.

As Joe walked through the warehouse he was in charge of, everyone there gave him a great deal of respect as Joe was a powerful man in the outfit.

Joe then went back to his office feeling confident. Everything looked like it was going smoothly when he heard someone's voice. "Good evening ,Mr. Joe Chill, you kept me waiting just so you could inspect your shipment."

Joe turned around but did not see anyone there. _"What's wrong with me? I'm hearing things," _he thought to himself.

Joe walked around the warehouse again. As he inspected some of the illegal goods he heard the same voice. "What are you doing here, Joe?"

Joe turned around whipping out his gun but no one was there. "Bill, Ted! Come here!" Joe called out as he went to where these men were supposed to be. But the men weren't there. Joe then ran to where his other men were. "Guys! I want you to find Bill and Ted! And I think there's someone else here. Find him!" His men looked up quizzically then responded to his commands.

A few minutes later. "Boss!" one of his men called out. "Bill and Ted are over here! It looks like they fell asleep!"

Joe went to where the man was and saw Bill and Ted on the floor unconscious. Joe had been in enough fights to have a clue as to what was going on. "They've been knocked out, you shmuck! Everybody look alive! There's someone else here!" Joe commanded loudly. But as his men scurried around looking for their uninvited guest Joe heard the same voice.

"I'm right here, Joe."

"What the F#*&?" Joe turned around, pointing his gun in the direction of the creepy voice but no one was there.

"Boss two more of our guys have been taken out," one of the men said.

At that moment four more men dropped to the floor. The remaining men became more wary and alert after few more slumped into unconsciousness. After all the men were knocked out except for Joe, Joe looked around nervously and screamed, "who are you?"

Then a man dressed up in a blue bat eared cowl, mask, cape, boots, gloves and shorts and wearing gray leggings and shirt with a black bat on it appeared right in front of him.

"I'm Batman!" the man said as he grabbed Joe and picked him up menacingly.

XXX

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I have put Batman's new stats down here. I'm not going to write all his skills down but mostly the abilities the canon Batman doesn't have and the changes I've made.

If you want to see all of Batman's skills look up Classic Marvel Role Playing Game then go to Profiles then go to D.C. Universe Profiles then go to Batman.

FIGHTING: AMAZING(50) This level of means ultimate human fighting machine

AGILITY: AMAZING(50) This levels means human maximum with the ability to dodge multiple gunfire with ease

STRENGTH: EXCELLENT(20) This level is around 800 pounds. (This version of Batman can lift 1,000 pounds and can use his chi to increase it to an undisclosed level)

ENDURANCE: INCREDIBLE(40) This level means enhanced endurance normally beyond what a human being can do.

REASON: INCREDIBLE(40) This means Genius:- Level 1 (one focus); understand alien tech.

INTUITION: AMAZING(50) This means in tune with surroundings; strong hunches

PSYCHE: AMAZING(50) This means indomitable will power

HEALTH: 160

KARMA: 140

RESOURCES: MONSTROUS

POPULARITY: 50

POWERS:

MARTIAL ARTS SUPREMACY: UNEARTHLY: This represents a massive amount of skill levels with martial arts and general combat

ULTIMATE SKILL: Martial Arts-All.

WEAKNESS DETECTION: Batman's ability to detect weakness is such that he totally ignores the effects of armor, resistance or invulnerability.

STEALTH: Amazing (This is more of a skill than a power)

ADRENAL SURGE: Batman has the ability to augment his strength. With an act of will he can increase his strength to Incredible(10 tons) for a period of time.

HYPER SPEED: Good

BODY RESISTANCE: Good Resistance to physical and energy attacks(This is the ability to withstand 500 pounds of pressure whether blunt or sharp)

PSI SCREEN: Unearthly

PSIONIC DETECTION: Amazing

SPATIAL AWARENESS: Batman's aware of his environment to the point where he has 360 awareness. Allowing him to "see" from every direction. He cannot be blindsided.

GLIDING: Feeble.

MISSILE DEFLECTION: Batman has the ability to deflect energy blasts, bullets and such with an agility roll. He "missile deflects" such attacks so that they seem to pass right through him or miss him all together.

IRON WILL: Amazing. Batman has Amazing control over his body. He can control his body's functions like breathing, reflexes, heartbeat and it's reactions to pain and injury. Batman can halt any of the processes indefinitely. He gains a +1CS in all Endurance feats involving poisons or knockout gases.

HYPER LEAPING: Good.

REGENERATION: Good.

RECOVERY: Good.

INVISIBILITY: Good.

LIFE SUPPORT: Batman can hold his breath for an hour and survive harsh environments.

PRECOGNITION and POSTCOGNITION: Amazing: These abilities are dependent on the data and information Batman has on hand.

EQUIPMENT:

His uniform gives him Excellent Body Armor versus physical and energy attacks and cannot be easily removed from him.

Batman can power up his batarangs with ki and increase the damage they do up to Remarkable, blunt or edged. He can also throw them in a ricochet fashion thus hitting several targets at once with an agility feat roll. He can throw them as far as six areas away.

Batman's uniform is such that he can use his cape to glide at Excellent speeds depending on the wind currents and other factors. If necessary he can fly at Typical speeds.

Everything else about his equipment is the same as the canon Batman except the technology of it is a little better.

TALENTS: These talents and skills are in addition to the talents and skills the canon Batman already has.

Martial Arts: All, Ambidexterity, Aerial Combat, Built in compass(always knows his ups or downs, his east or west and so on), Defense Maneuver(ability to take on multiple opponents), Eidetic(Photographic)Memory, Speed Reading, Lightning Calculator, Military, High Pain Threshold, Repair/Tinker, Robotics, Lockpicking, Security Systems, Espionage, Streetwise

SPECIAL: Batman is master of shiatsu and attacking pressure points. On a red roll he is considered to have hit on these pressure points and his target his unable to move for one round. Endurance feats versus the effects of one these nerve attacks are made at -1CS

CONTACTS: Except for some unusual martial arts masters, vehicle making and architecture geniuses his contacts are the same as usual.

XXX

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is pretty much how the Batman I'm writing is going to be but I might think of something else later.

Because Bruce's great-great-grandfather is Korean Bruce is about six percent Korean. He doesn't look any different from the canon Batman though. He's still six feet two inches tall weighing two hundred and twenty pounds.

Next Chapter: Be here next Bat time, Next Bat channel.

You know the routine. READ and REVIEW.


	2. Taking on the Mob

Batman the Dark Knight

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Batman or any of the series portrayed here. This is simply fanfiction.

_"THOUGHTS" _!SOUND EFFECTS!

Chapter Two

Batman grabbed Joe Chill by the lapels of his pin striped suit and malevolently glared at him. "What are you doing here, Mr. Chill?" Batman interrogated.

"What's it to you? What do you care?" Joe Chill asked, frightened as they were on the catwalk overlooking the illegal cargo that was still moving on conveyor belts.

"Do you remember the two people you murdered near Crime Alley over ten years ago?" Batman asked with a cold hard glare.

"I have no idea who those people were. I swear. It was an accident. I didn't mean to kill them. If they hadn't resisted I wouldn't have died," Joe answered nervously.

"I was the young boy whose life you destroyed. Now face the monster you have created," Batman said as he violently shook him, giving him a glare through the slits of his mask that made Joe wet his pants. Joe had forgotten what the boy had looked like but he remembered the eyes. What was worse was the fact there was fire emanating from these eyes.

"You couldn't be doing this without the police knowing about this. What are the names of the police who you paid off? I want to know everything about what you're doing here," Batman said.

As they were talking a thug who had gotten there late tried to sneak up on Batman. His name was Joseph Kerrington. He was six feet two inches tall weighing 180 pounds.

He had played around with gadgets and electronics when we was a kid and did well in classes having to do with these subjects when he was in high school, being very gifted in tinkering and repairing things. He also did well in chemistry and engineering.

He had trained in tae kwon do and aikido for a time but got most of his fighting skills on the street, using his martial arts as was needed, not overly relying on them. Even though he was a very capable fighter who won practically all his fights, his dream was to become a comedian. He was always telling jokes that most people didn't like. But he kept trying even though his jokes stank. Joseph was so determined that he had taken an acting class in hopes of getting on a sitcom like Seinfeld or something like that but things didn't work out they way he wanted.

He once had intimidated a bar owner into letting him try his act on stage and bombed! However, once a mob boss said to him, "you're like a clown to me. You amuse me. You make me laugh. You're a real joker." Joseph was flattered until he found out that the mob capo was making fun of him. Most of the people who laughed at his jokes did so out of fear. However, the nickname, Joker, become someting he eventually liked.

"Tell me why all this cargo is here. They smell like chemicals. Is that what this is? And who's your boss? Answer me!" Batman screamed at him.

"It's just business. My boss is Boss Zucco. Everyone knows that." Joe noticed Joseph sneaking up on Batman. So he kept on talking. "These chemicals are used to help create drugs, liquor and everyday products people use. We make a huge profit off of this. So what's the big deal?" Joe asked nervously.

_"Will you hurry up and get here so you can knock him out, Kerrington?"_ Joe thought as Joseph seemed to take his time getting to Batman.

Joseph had silently taken out a blackjack. But when he finally was poised to strike, !BACKHAND! the young criminal went flying back several feet from Batman's blow. Down but not out, Joseph quickly recoiled to attack Batman once again but was no match for the caped crusader who simply knocked him back again.

_"This guy's a good fighter but I bet he can't handle a nine millimeter." _!BLAM!BLAM!

_"While this bat guy's distracted I'll take out my hidden pistol and take this guy out," _Joe thought to himself, relieved that his nightmare was about to end.!BLAM!BLAM!

However, both criminals shot each other as Batman seemed to vanish out of the way. As Joe fell dead before he hit the ground Joseph who was wearing a bulletproof vest was still hurt, stunned and bleeding as he fell into a box of unknown chemicals.

"Aaaaaah!" !CRASH! Joseph hit the crate, smashing into the liquid chemicals inside. The young man frantically tried to swim up and get out of the vat of chemicals he was in but eventually sank into the ooze, his body burning as he raised his sinking hand out of the liquid.

!WOOOOO! !WOOOOO! "It's the police!" one of the waking thugs yelled. "We gotta get out of here!"

_"Hmmm. I better take my leave as well," _the dark knight thought to himself, disappearing into the night.

After police had arrested the thugs who hadn't made it out and left, Joseph came out of the vat of chemicals four hours later much changed, feeling stronger, more vital and alive. His intelligence and creativity had also increased to a genius level. After looking around for a few minutes he left the warehouse with a twist in his stride.

When he got home and saw his face in the mirror he went mad at the shock of his appearance. Not only was his skin white but his hair was green and his lips were ruby red!

Then he thought, _"I really don't look that bad after all. I really look like a joker now."_ "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" The Joker laughed and laughed as he went deeper and deeper into depths of insanity.

XXX

!VRROOOM! _"It's time I pay Joe Chill's boss, Boss Zucco a visit. He's the most powerful gangster in all of Gotham, behind most of the crime and filth of this city. My street sources have told me how he has at least 50 of the higher ups in the Gotham Police Department in his pocket. The building from which he runs his operations is fifty stories high. But no matter. I'll plant my bugging devices and hidden video cameras there; this way I'll know what's going on."_

After parking and hiding the Batmobile Batman climbed to the top of the fifty story building and got in through a top window he jimmied open. He stealthily moved through the building placing hidden bugs here and there.

When he finally made his way to Boss Zucco's main office he hid a bug and a small video camera there too. As he made his way through the building he made certain no one saw him. He also had a video camera on him and taped anything he saw that he thought was interesting.

When he was in a room that was near that had an adjacent wall to a huge meeting room. He heard Boss Zucco and his crew talking. Boss Zucco was a big, muscular but a somewhat fat and round man in a very expensive Armanti suit. He was slightly balding and average looking. He gave the aura of charisma and power as he strutted his stuff like a king in his court.

"All right. Now that I totally own the police and the politicians I practically own this town. Can I assume everyone pays protection? Are there any problems?" Boss Zucco asked not expecting an answer.

"Uh, Boss. There's one problem. There's a recent report of a giant bat running around ruining several operations. Most recently he ruined Joe Chill's operation, killing Joe Chill and that funny guy Joseph Kerrington."

"But get this. There was no sign of Joseph anywhere. I've since sent some guys looking for him but when they went to his apartment they didn't find him there. One of Joe Chill's men, a friend of Joseph, said that he saw a 'batman' leave the area before the police arrived. He said this guy was scary."

"And last but not least the cop in charge of the bust was Lt. James Gordon. He's one of the few cops who won't be bought," the high ranking mobster explained.

"What kind of bull#$& is this? Who is this Batman? I own this town. I climb my way to the top with blood, sweat and tears and some nut in a bat suit f#$ks up one of my money making operations. Never would I imagine anyone treated me with such disrespect!" Boss Zucco exclaimed, exuding a great deal of drama.

"I want this guy dead! I want his family dead! I don't care how you do it. I want him whacked so badly I can taste it. Do it!" Zucco ordered. "And there's one other thing. I want you to get rid of this self righteous prick, James Gordon. Everyone in this town either obeys me or dies!"

Eventually they talked about other aspects of the business. They even mentioned the names of some high ranking police officers who were on the take.

_"Hmm," _Batman thought as he kept all of this in mind. _"Time for me to take my leave."_

XXX

After taking care of his business as Bruce Wayne the next day, Batman decided to give one of the police officers who was on the take a visit. Batman had spent a week interrogating anyone who might know anything, using his computer skills and using old fashion detective work.

_"As far as I know Chief Inspector Joseph Waller is the highest ranking cop in Boss Zucco's pocket," _Batman thought to himself as he made a left turn on the turnpike. _"He's about to meet up with the Batman!"_

Inspector Wall was asleep after making love to a stripper who worked for one of Boss Zucco's men. She was a sexy, gorgeous blond with a body made even more attractive by plastic surgery. Batman stealthily made his way into the stripper's apartment where he had tracked Waller down.

The stripper had gotten up to get a drink when she noticed Batman. "Who are y... Hmph."

"Be quiet. Now I'm going to tie you up and gag you because I have some business to take care of. Behave yourself and you won't get hurt. Do you understand?" The frightened young woman nodded her head in compliance. "Good. Now have a seat."

After he had tended to the scantily clad woman and made sure she wouldn't be any trouble Batman went to the bedroom where Chief Inspector Wall was still stirring, shaking the corrupt cop awake.

"Hey baby, I'm tired. All right? I have to go to work in the morning so let me sleep," he demanded. Then the paid off cop cracked open his eye lids and opened them wide in shock and surprise as he noticed Batman glaring down at him.

"I have some questions for you, Chief Inspector Waller. How much is Zucco paying you and who are the other corrupt cops?" Batman asked menacingly.

"I don't know what you're talking about. And who are you anyway?" the inspector asked.

"I'm **Batman**. I want you to tell all your friends about me. I plan to bust up Boss Zucco's drug dealing ring. He thinks he owns this town. But he doesn't own me."

"What makes you think I'll tell you anything?" Waller asked with arrogance.

Batman gave him his death stare. "**You will tell me everything."**

"Or what?"

**"You don't want to know."**

Waller was visibly frightened. Then Batman grabbed his neck and choked until a second before Waller would have choked to death. "Gasp!"

"I'm not fooling around here, Waller. I can do this all night. I can even make it so that you'll wish for death but I won't let it happen. Now I want to know what's going on with Boss Zucco. I've also noticed that there have been a lot of pretty young girls missing. What do you know about that?" Batman asked with deadly earnest.

"It wasn't me. You don't understand! If I didn't play ball with Boss Zucco I would have risked being killed just like that James Gordon guy. He's to be murdered tomorrow night. He shouldn't have rejected Zucco's generous offer."

"Who's going to kill Gordon?"

"Lt. Jake Washburn's going to lead him into a trap. It's going down tomorrow night. Gordon's been sticking his nose where it don't belong. He's a self righteous prick with high faluting morals. But get this. Washburn has the hots for his 13 year old daughter. He's always liked em young. After he whacks Gordon he'll have his way with his daughter then sell her into slavery."

"I want to know about the other missing girls as well. Where does Zucco have them stored?" Batman demanded.

"He sometimes has pretty young girls kidnapped and sold into slavery to other cities or countries. But I don't know where he stores them; it could be anywhere. He has total control of this city, including the drug trade. He owns the cops and the judges. You can't stop him."

"He owns the judges? And who would that be? And I want to know who the names of the other cops who are on the take too," Batman demanded.

After getting all the information he could out of the corrupt cop, Batman released the stripper and vanished into thin air.

XXX

"Greetings, Councilman Bannister. What do you know about Boss Zucco?" Batman asked the surprised councilman in his spacious bedroom as he came out of the shower, handing him a towel. The council quickly grabbed the towel and wrapped it around himself.

"I don't know what you're talking about! And who are you?" the rankled councilman asked.

"I'm Batman. Now that we've been properly introduced, Councilman Bannister, I have some questions for you."

"Get out of my house before I call the police!"

"Call them, then. I'm sure they'll be interested in how you've helped to have young girls kidnapped and sold into slavery. If they're not interested your voters will be."

"What do you want?"

"I want to know where the girls are being held in lea of being shipped out of the country. And don't lie to me. I'll know."

The councilman sweated nervously. "I-I don't know anything about that."

Batman's eyes got darker. "I told you not to lie to me. Now tell me what I want to know. Once I find the information I'm looking for, I'll leave you alone even though there's a young girl hiding under the bed."

The councilman's face went white with shock. "How did you know she was there?"

"I know a lot of things. I deliberately allowed your 'friend' to hear me so she could hide while you were in the shower. You might as well come out from under there, girl!"

At that moment a beautiful 14 year old, half naked girl came out from under the bed frightened by Batman's presence. "I'm sorry. He said my father owed him money and that I had to make it up to him!"

Batman motioned the girl to be silent and sit down as he turned back to the city councilman, walking towards him menacingly. "I will expect this child to be home tomorrow morning. And you can either tell me what I want to know or I will give you unspeakable pain."

XXX

Next night Batman shadowed Police Lieutenant James Gordon.

"Hello?" Jim Gordon said as he answered his phone.

"Hey, Jim! It's me, Jake Washburn. You know those kidnappers you've been looking for? Well, I know where they are. They're at an abandoned warehouse downtown. There's not much time. Meet me a block away from your house in front of the Dunkin Donuts Shop. Right away!" Jake said as he quickly hung up the phone with a smug smile on his face.

After hanging his phone up Lt. Gordon ran out of his home in a hurry and got in his car, putting the pedal to the metal. As soon as he abruptly parked his car right next to Jake's in such a way that they were face to face, Gordon starting talking. "Are you sure about this, Jake?" Gordon asked anxiously.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. Those kidnappers are there. I know how much you wanted to nail them," Jake answered.

_"Gordon has a young teenage daughter; that's why he's so determined to nab the ones who're kidnapping young girls. Little does he know that his own precious daughter will soon be taking part in the slave trade. Boss Zucco has paid me a lot money to set Gordon up. I really don't like doing this kind of thing to another cop but the money was too good to pass up."_

_"It's his own fault for being such a self righteous prick. He could have taken some money too. But nooo! He had to take being a cop so seriously. But I'll take care of his daughter though. Man, she's hot! She developed so early. She has such a huge rack for a champion gymnast. I'll get me some of that when I brake her into her new lifestyle as a sex slave."_

As Gordon followed Jake to the abandoned warehouse where the kidnappers were supposed to be, Batman shadowed them.

When the two cops arrived at the warehouse they walked inside. Batman then took note of the situation. _"There are ten other men hidden in that warehouse, waiting to spring their trap on Gordon but I'm ready."_

The place was pitch dark until the lights came on almost blinding the police lieutenant when the men struck. "Ungh!" Gordon went down stunned but wasn't out.

"Sorry, Jim. But the money offered was too much to pass up," Jake said as the other men who were in Boss Zucco's gang surrounded Gordon, each one having a wicked grin on his face.

Gordon looked up at Jake. "Is this how you treat a brother officer, Jake? Did I do something to offend you? I knew you were on the take. But I looked the other way because I understand how this city is. But this is how you treat me?"

!CRUNCH! "Shut up! It wasn't enough that you didn't rat out other cops. That might have been enough for other cops but not for me. And not for Boss Zucco. You should have allowed yourself to be bought. Then you wouldn't be in this situation. Now you gotta die. But don't worry about it. I'll be sure to take good care of your hot, sexy daughter," Jake said with a laugh as the others joined in.

"I'm going to leave you to your fate. I'll give your daughter your regards," Jake said as he left. Unbeknownst to him, Batman threw a tracer on him while he was hidden in the shadows.

After Washburn had left Batman made his move. "What was that noise?" one guy asked.

"What noise I didn't hear nuthin."

"I could have sworn I heard something," the one guy said.

"You're dreaming. Ain't nobody here."

Then a dark bat shaped shadow blocked the light with his silhouette. The shadow seemed to glare at them. All of them except Gordon who was still smarting from having been kicked in the stomach by Washburn a couple minutes ago were frozen in fright.

Batman immediately swooped down on them with super-speed, knocking out the nearest thug with a snap kick. Two of the goons whipped out guns but just as quickly dropped their guns as Batman nerve pinched their hands causing them to drop to floor unconscious.

The others quickly drew their guns and shot at Batman only to miss. "He's just standing there! I could have sworn I hit him!" !CRACK! "Ugh!" the thug moaned, falling to the floor into a world of pain and unconsciousness. The others shot their guns wildly for a few seconds then noticed Batman was gone or so they thought.

"He's dead. There's no way he could have survived all that lead. I think I got him." Then Batman appeared in the midst of them. Before any of them could react he spun around hitting the remaining six with super-speed punches and kicks until he had knocked them all out. Then he moved towards Gordon and helped him up.

Batman had videotaped and audio-taped the whole event except for his own involvement. Then he dropped off Gordon at the hospital.

Gordon looked up at Batman as he took him to the hospital. "You can find a videotape of what happened in your bookcase at your home. You can do what you want with it. So much for the brotherhood of law enforcement," Batman said as he left him at the hospital. Gordon wasn't hurt that bad. So he was only in the hospital for a couple of hours.

XXX

Next day, Jake was surprised when he came to work and found Gordon sitting at his desk. "Something wrong, Jake?" Gordon asked with an innocent look on his face.

"Washburn, in my office! Now!" the precinct captain called out. Jake looked around then quietly walked out of the police office. Then he got in his car and drove off.

"Where'd Washburn go?" the captain asked, annoyed.

"He just left, Captain." a cop said.

"What was his problem? I wanted to tell him he was getting a raise."

XXX

Jake drove frantically to Boss Zucco's favorite hangout, the best Italian restaurant in town, a place where Boss Zucco would have his secret meetings. At the time Boss Zucco was having a private lunch party with some high ranking associates of his gang.

The guards knew Jake was in Zucco's pocket so after taking his gun from him they let him in. "To what do I owe this visit? Boss Zucco asked as he ate his meal of primo spaghetti and meatballs.

"It's Gordon. He's still alive. Batman saved him. Gordon was at the police station this morning. He smiled at me and then I was called in to see the precinct captain!" Jake said excitely. "You gotta get me out of here!"

"I ain't gotta do nothin. Listen here, Jake. I told you to kill that prick, Gordon. And you failed. You and the guys who were with you told me you had killed him. Now you're giving me excuses. Does Gordon know you tried to kill him?" Zucco asked.

"Yes. He'd have to know. I could just leave town, disappear someplace where no one will ever find me. You could help me with that, couldn't you, Zucco?" Jake asked nervously.

"Sure Jake. I'll make sure no one ever sees you again. Those guys over there will escort you to where you'll be going," Boss Zucco explained.

Jake breathed a sigh of relief and went with the guys who Zucco had gestured to. One of the men stayed behind. "Kill him. And make sure no one ever finds him again. Capish?"

"I understand, Boss," the henchman confirmed.

XXX

Later that night, Batman arrived at the rendezvous point at the shipping docks Boss Zucco owned. This was where the Boss Zucco's slave girl ring was going to sell it's cargo. Batman hid himself from view as the buyers showed up. They were from various countries, all of them, richly dressed. He even saw some rich American businessmen with whom he had associated as Bruce Wayne.

Then the young girls were brought in ranging from 13 to 17 years old. All of them were beautiful and dressed in skimpy outfits, leaving little to the imagination. In addition to the girls who were being sold, there were several tons of drugs and guns being marketed for sale as well. Batman sneaked up on the guards and quietly knocked them out by nerve pinching them.

Some guards Batman took out here and there. Some guards he avoided all together as he placed time bombs and firebombs in strategic places so that the guns and drugs would be blown up and destroyed. Then Batman went to where the girls were kept. He had taken the keys to some of the cars that were there from the guards he had knocked out.

The girls would have screamed when they saw him but their mouths were bound. Then they saw Batman take out the men who were guarding them. Batman took the keys from the these guards and freed the one of girls who were there of her chains, knowing full well who the girl was, surmising that she had some impressive inner strength.

"Barbara Gordon. I have a job for you. I want you to lead these girls to those vans over there. Here are the keys. Take charge! Delegate authority to the other girls who are more capable. There are about one hundred of you."

"The keys are for the ten vans over there. You see those vans over there?" Batman asked her as he showed her the cars from the windows.

"Y-yes," Barbara answered.

"Good. But don't stutter. I know you're stronger than that. I'm sure you want to get out of I've numbered each key. The key with number one on it is for the first van. The key with the number two on it is for the second van and so on."

"Do as I say and everything will work out. Can I rely on you?" Batman asked, using his massive powers of persuasion to get her to do what he needed to her to do.

"Yes!" Barbara said with confidence.

"Good. Now help me release the others. When I give the word take the other girls and go."

After they had freed the other girls, Batman saw that the coast was clear and had Barbara and the girls go and enter the vans. Barbara did a real good job of delegating and taking charge so in mere minutes all the girls were in the vans. The more able girls were ready to drive away with Barbara in the lead.

"Go!" Batman yelled. Then the bombs started going off. Batman had made certain Barbara and the girls had a clear and open pathway to escape.

"Hey! Where are those vans going. They're not supposed to leave yet!" a voice said.

"The place is blowing up!" another voice yelled out.

As bombs went off everywhere, Zucco's men tried to shoot at the last van that was leaving but Batman threw a batarangs at them knocking the guns out of their hands.

Batman was about to leave when he was spotted. "It's Batman! He's the cause of all this! Get him! Get him! Get him!"

Batman deftly avoided the gunfire. After he had used his batarangs to disable the men's guns, Batman dove in. Before the men knew it, Batman was on top of them. !POW! !SLAM! !CRACK! !SMASH! !CRUNCH!

"Aargh!"

"He's moving at super human speed! He's faster than the Flash!" another criminal called out.

Batman easily took out dozens of them who were enforcers or bodyguards from foreign countries mostly because there wasn't any kind of coordination between the various groups. As one group was taken out another group took it's place. The last group simply mobbed him. "We got now! He can't get through all of us!"

But point Batman had lost himself in the crowd, disappearing among them and from them, getting to the Batmobile and droving off.

"It's the Batmobile! Don't let him escape!" !BLAM! !PING!

Batman then turned on his satellite which he had put up into space a long time ago. He was training it on the area he was in at the moment. _"Hmm. There's a few cars coming after me, followed by a giant sized truck. In addition to that a few more cars are following right behind the giant sized semi truck." _

While the huge truck that had wheels almost as big as the Batmobile itself kept coming towards him behind checked on his little helper. _"Barbara and the girls are getting away safely. She's on her way to her father, James Gordon.__ Good girl," _Batman thought. _"Now it's time to deal with my pursuers."_

Batman then drove away from the street onto a backwoods road where there was a bridge out. Batman drove right to where the bridge area was and turned on the boosters on the Batmobile making his car leap over the area where the bridge had been and making it clear to the other side.

"I can't stop!" the lead driver screamed as his car went over the edge, crashing into the water. The second car barely stopped in time, but the giant truck seemed to fly over the gulch, landing on the other side still chasing after Batman.

_"That's an unusual truck. I wonder where Zucco got it from. It's almost upon me. In fact it's beginning to gain on me." _The giant sized truck slammed into the Batmobile causing a couple of dents. Batman then did some evasive maneuvers but still couldn't shake the truck. While the chase was going on Batman had fled onto a mountainess highway going up and up.

_"The higher altitude should effect the truck in a such a way as to make going uphill unlikely." _But to the surprise of the Batman the truck kept up with the Batmobile, gaining on him yet again. !RAM!

"Oof!" _"How is something so huge keeping up with me? Time for some evasive action." _Then Batman swerved to the left. But as he moved to the left the giant truck moved forward and was on the right side of the him. Then it slammed into him, shoving the Batmobile into and through part of the railing breaking it, causing the Batmobile to go flying over the edge.

"I got him! There's no way he can survive that!" the driver of the super huge truck called out.

But Batman wasn't out of it yet. He manuevered the Batmobile before he got in the air in such a way that he turned it on it's side as he shot through the air and touched down on the broken part of the railing as it was falling down. The left front and back wheels stayed on the falling railing and kept going until Batman had drove sideways all the way towards the part of the railing that was still attached to the road. Once this was done he was on the road again with the giant truck still on his heels.

"What the F#$! How'd he do that?"

"Never mind that Jocko! Ram him again!"

_"That was a close one. I'm going to have to ditch this truck some how," _Batman thought to himself as he turned on the grids on the Batmobile's wheels and drove up the mountain out of reach of the giant truck. The truck could do nothing but drive on the road as Batman got further and further out of their reach.

XXX

Barbara Gordon and her group stopped in front of her home after she had noticed a cell phone in the van and had used it to call her father. When she got to her home, her father and some police officers he could trust were waiting for her.

"Where have you been? And who are all these people?" Gordon asked as he noticed the vans and the girls that were in them.

"Wait a minute! These are the girls who have been kidnapped or missing," one of the cops said.

"What?"

"That's right, Jim. I recognize a few of them," another cop answered.

As the girls started to come out of the vans the stress of what had happened and what almost had happened hit them and they started to cry. James Gordon then brought the girls into his home and called their parents and the photographer, Vicki Vale who later arrived with some reporters. Then he called in some more police.

Later Barbara explained to her parents and the police how Batman had helped her and the other girls escape. She especially was happy to tell how he had trusted her to "take charge," making her feel really good about herself. The media made Barbara Gordon out to be the hero. They left out the part about Boss Zucco being in charge of the whole thing for fear of his reprisal. But they weren't sure what to make of this Batman character so they left him out of the story.

All of this was not lost on James Gordon who had strongly suspected Boss Zucco of being a crimelord. But the events of the last few days made him sure of it. It seemed he and Batman had a great deal to discuss.

XXX

Later that night at Boss Zucco's building. Zucco was having a fit of rage, getting up from his chair, cradling a baseball bat as the rest of his boys sat down in their main meeting room. "What happened out there, Falco? You were supposed to be in charge!"

"I don't know what to say, Boss. It was Batman. He helped those girls escape. Somehow he sent them off and took on a couple dozen guys at once. Then he up and left. I sent some guys after him but they couldn't catch him," Falco answered nervously.

Boss Zucco glared down at him. "I'm sick and tired of hearing about this Batman. This fiasco at the docks cost me over twenty million dollars! I've lost face with a lot of business associates all around the world. What are yous guys going to do about this?"

"Take it easy, Boss. We'll get this guy!" Falco said nervously, eyeing the huge baseball bat.

"Shut up! Here's what I want! I want him dead. Do you hear me? Dead! Here, I'll show you." Boss Zucco then proceeded to bash Falco over the head with the baseball bat until he was almost dead.

"Ungh!"

"I never liked you anyway!"

XXX

Next morning Bruce was having breakfast and reading the newspaper. The headlines read "BARBARA GORDON AND OTHER MISSING GIRLS ESCAPE FROM BEING CAPTIVES. TONY ZUCCO'S WAREHOUSES NEAR DOCKS BLOW UP!"

"Did Batman have something to do with those girls escaping, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked him.

"Yes, Alfred. But this is not the end. This is not the beginning of the end. This isn't even the end of the beginning. It's the beginning of the beginning."

XXX

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, sorry for the delay in updating. If anyone has any good ideas tell me what they are. I'm not sure when I'll bring Robin into this. I'm thinking later as opposed to sooner. Tell me what your opinion is on that.

You can also tell me which villains you'd prefer to see or which superheroes should make an appearance.

I tend to update sooner when I get more reviews. I have several fanfics going on. Some more I want to start. If you liked this particular fanfic send a review.

My web site is up so go take a look at it. I have my responses to my reviews there. Just go to my author profile. You can get to my homepage from there.

Here are Joker's stats. This Joker is a little different from the canon Joker.

FIGHTING: INCREDIBLE(40) This means superior talent backed by experience, extensive Training, master of a form

AGILITY: REMARKABLE(30) This means superior talent, the ability to do agility based feats

STRENGTH: EXCELLENT(20) This means being able to lift around 800 pounds

ENDURANCE: REMARKABLE(30) This means never tiring except for needing sleep

REASON: INCREDIBLE(40) This means genius:-level 1 (one focus); understand alien tech.

INTUITION: REMARKABLE(30) This means enhanced senses

PSYCHE: REMARKABLE(30) This means focused will

HEALTH: 120

KARMA: 100

RESOURCES: EXCELLENT

POPULARITY: -20

POWERS: Good Resistance to physical and energy attacks.(This is the ability to withstand 500 pounds of pressure whether blunt or sharp)

EQUIPMENT

Acid Flower Body: Incredible acid damage

Electrical Joy Buzzer: Amazing electrical damage (contact only)

Joker Venom ring: Remarkable Poison Touch damage

Tommy Gun: Remarkable shooting damage

He also has other various gadgets

TALENTS: Performer: Actor, Chemistry, Repair/Tinker, Engineering, Electronics, Gadgetry, Martial Arts A, B, C. Ambidexterity, Scholar: Comedy

Contacts: Underworld

Be here next time. Same bat channel. Same bat time.


	3. Serial Murder Joker Style

Batman the Dark Knight

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Batman or any of the series portrayed here. This is simply fanfiction.

Chapter Three

!SOUND EFFECTS! _"THOUGHTS"_

As Bruce Wayne read the newspaper he noticed an interesting article about a serial murderer who sometimes raped and sliced his victims up. The most interesting point of the article was the fact that he always left his victim with a Cheshire cat smile on his or her face. In addition to that the perp always left joker playing cards which were the only clues as to who this psychopathic killer was. Therefore the press has labeled this killer the Joker.

"Are you reading about the Joker, Master Bruce?"

"That's correct, Alfred. The police have been baffled as to how they would catch this guy. The only information they had was the fact that the suspect had pasty white skin, a huge smile and a hideous laugh. At one time a few police officers ran after and caught up to the suspect. But instead of bringing him to justice the police officers were beaten to death. Some of them were violently ripped apart. A witness said the suspect had a look of madness to him."

"How dreadful!"

"I'm going to have to make this 'Joker' a priority."

"What was that, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked.

"Just saying I plan to make this Joker a priority," Bruce answered.

"This Joker is a wily and dangerous fellow."

"I'll catch up to him sooner or later. Wait until he gets a load of me." With that Bruce put the paper down.

XXX

At his plush million dollar mansion, Wilt Bilkins was in his study going over some paperwork when he heard his young, beautiful wife yell a blood curdling scream. "Helen!" he yelled as he grabbed his gun and ran towards the direction of the scream.

When he got there he saw his wife slashed and dismembered with blood everywhere. Worst of all there was a Cheshire cat like, ghoulish smile plastered on her face. "Helen! Who did this to you?" the old man cried over his dead trophy wife.

"That would be me!"

The old man turned to see a scary man with chalk white skin, green lips and green hair staring at him with the same ghoulish grin his wife now had. He also literally had his wife's blood on his hands. "Why, you? You'll pay for this! James! Wilbur!"

"Are those the two big guys you hired to be your bodyguards? I've already dealt with them. They really weren't all that tough. But of course, it's the crazy people like me who are impossible to beat. Mostly because we don't know when to quit," Joker said with a harsh voice.

"Blast you. I'll kill you myself!" Wilt Bilkins screamed as he whipped out his gun and shot at the white skinned man but to no avail as his shots missed the inhumanly fast moving man who was upon the old man before he knew it, grabbing the rich man's hand and moving it towards the old man's head while he was still shooting causing the old man to shoot himself.

"Ah, Mr. Bilkins. I knew him well." After spraying the old man with a chemical solution that caused him to have a ghoulish grin on his face the man went to the where the household safe was. After failing to figure out the combination of the safe he simply ripped the safe from the wall with brute strength. Once he had filled a large, thick skinned bag with all the money and valuables from the safe and the man left after leaving a card with the joker on it.

"Aaaaaah! Aaaaaah!" the maid screamed after she returned from shopping for the upcoming banquet seeing all the dead bodies lying around with all the gore.

XXX

"Looks like another one by you know who. I wonder how he does it?" Detective Ted Rollins said as everyone from the police department from uniforms to forensics were going over the crime scene at the Wilt Bilkins mansion.

"It's the Joker again, Detective; he left his calling card," a plump, plain clothes police officer said as he showed the detective where the card was.

"Yep. It sure looks that way. I hope you got a strong stomach, Bullock. This 'Joker' really made a gruesome showing here."

"I can handle it. I was born on the wrong side of the tracks, Detective," Sgt. Bullock answered. "My biggest concern is all the potential copycats that might show up."

"Perish the thought. We have no idea who this person is. Except for the fact the media has labeled him the Joker."

"We'll get him, Detective. We can't let this perp go on doing this," Sgt. Bullock answered.

XXX

Next day, Jimmy Jones, a gold merchant who had made his millions treasure hunting, was having a nightcap at his plush home. He had gone all over the world finding hidden treasures and had struck it rich. Now he was living off of his wealth enjoying the good life. He felt he didn't have a care in the world. He still did some investing but he didn't spend too much time working.

"Anything else you'd like for me to do for you, Mr. Jones?" the drop dead gorgeous, blond, sexy lady asked in a sensual manner.

Mr. Jones smiled. "Sure is. Come over here." As the beautiful young woman moved in closer to him and undid her blouse, "she" whipped off "her" outer skin which was actually a disguise. The young wealthy man was in shock and fear as he saw who his "girlfriend" really was.

"Who, who are you?"

"I'm the Joker! What's the matter? Don't you love me anymore? The look on your face is priceless." Then the Joker got close in the man's face making him wet his pants in fear.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! You have a lot of gold here, Mr. Jones. Or can I call you Jimmy? Excellent! I'll be taking your gold, silver and precious metals you have stashed here."

"No you can't. How dare you? I'll ..." !WHACK! "Oww!" the man moaned in pain, his jaw broken.

"You'll do as I say. Besides you're ruining my soliloquy," the Joker threatened menacingly as he glared down at him. Then he calmly continued. "As I was saying, I'm going to take your valuables but before that happens I'll have to kill you the way I killed the young lady you picked up tonight. I'm not a murderer; I'm an artist."

A liquid came out of the fake flower near his breast pocket and struck Jimmy's face. As Jimmy Jones slumped into unconsciousness a ghoulish grin appeared on his face staying that way forever.

XXX

!POP! went the gun that shot Fred Olsen, the bank president, to death right in his office at the First National Gotham Bank. Before he died the Joker pelted him with liquid from the fake flower on his breast pocket causing his face to contort in a ghoulish grin.

"What's going on in here?" the head of security called out as he ran into the president's office backed up by two other security guards only to run smack into the Joker.

!SHOVE!SMASH! "Stay out of my way! Gotta go! Gotta go! By the way, I'm the Joker! Ha ha ha ha ha!" the Joker laughed as he ran towards the exit making his way through the guards with inhuman speed, carrying several bags of money.

"Stop him! someone yelled. Several guards ran after the Joker only to slip on the marbles that the Joker had thrown after him as he fled away. Then the marbles exploded killing anyone near them causing thick smoke. Then several smoke bombs went off in the bank blinding everyone. However someone managed to turn on the alarm and call the police.

!KRAKADOOM! And thar she blows!" The Joker called out over his shoulder, getting further and further away from the exploding bank.

As the Joker drove off in what looked like a cross between a corvette and a clown car, several alerted police cars chased after him. The Joker drove down the main street running through a red light almost hitting someone. "Watch where you're going, you schmuck!" the driver of the huge bobtail truck cursed as the Joker drove by.

However the lead pursuing police car couldn't stop in time as the truck smashed into him smashing into him and dragging him along through the intersection. "Speed demon! Pull over boy and get your ticket right!" Joker sang as he sped along.

As the Clown Prince of Crime kept driving full speed towards a railroad crossing, the railroad lights going off as the striped barrier down came down. The train was coming but the Joker kept going, pushing two buttons, one which caused oil to come out of his exhaust all on the road behind him, another which caused his car to jump over the moving train. "Yee ha!"

"I can't stop! Aaaaaah!" the driver of the lead police car screamed as he came crashing into the moving train, the other police cars barely being able to stop in time.

XXX

"The Joker has threatened to kill you at 12:00 midnight, Mr. Kasper, but we're ready for him," his head bodyguard assured him.

"I hope so. He may just be a nutcase but I want you guys on alert."

Bob Kasper sat in his study and did some paperwork. When the clock struck twelve he went into convulsions grabbed his chest and while he was on the floor dying someone looked down on him.

"Hi there. Don't get up," the Joker said in a polite voice. "I've already poisoned your brandy over there." The Joker motioned to the small bar in the study. "Did you really think those hacks you hired would be able to stop me?"

Mr. Kasper could not get up or speak and was in great pain. "I've used my considerable skills to figure out the combination of your safe." After putting the money into a sack he leaned in close up to Kasper's face. "I want to make sure I'm the last face you see as you die. Ha ha ha ha ha!"

An hour later the head bodyguard checked up on his boss. !KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK! "Mr. Kasper? Are you all right in there?" When he didn't hear an answer he opened the door. "Dear God!" he gasped in horror as he saw the twisted, hideous smile on Mr. Kasper's face. Then he went to check for a pulse and found none. He couldn't take his eyes off of the corpse's face which seemed to be staring right at him. The visual would haunt him for the rest of his life.

XXX

Even later that night, the movie actress, Darla Evans, was just finishing a workout at her home gym. She was twenty-five years old, five foot eight inches tall weighing 120 pounds. She had a slim but busty figure, long blond hair and a beautiful face. She adhered to a strict diet and trained hard gaining a black belt in tae kwon do. When she was through with her workout and drenched with sweat, she sensed a presence. "Who are you?" she said as she turned around in a martial arts stance ready for action.

"I'm the Joker," the green haired, chalk white skinned man said with a ghoulish grin. "I'm a big fan of your movies. At least I was at the begining of your career. Now, however, you're slipping in the polls. You're getting old. Your body's starting to give out. You're still a hot babe but for how long? But I have a solution for your dilemma. If I was to violently rape and horribly kill you, you would become immortal. You'll end up like Marilyn Monroe and Rita Harlow. Imagine if those women had lived into old age; they'd be nobodies."

"Listen, Mr. Joker! I don't care if people are getting bored with me. I'll find something else to do. I'll do shows like American Idol or something like that. Now get out of here before I hurt you!"

"Ha ha ha ha! And I thought my jokes were bad. Besides, I've always hated American Idol. And I'd love to kill that Hung guy. Ugh! Let's get back to your problem. I've always had a thing for you. You're still pretty sexy, come to think of it. You still got a great rack, nice ass; you're the total package. I'd rather remember you that way. I'd hate to see you wind up like Brittany Spears. Ew! Now, put up a good fight; I have to make this look good. We want you to go out with a bang."

"I really don't need **your **help. Just leave," Darla said sounding a little frightened. _"This guy's crazy. I've heard about a chalk faced guy who was terrorizing Gotham. I know martial arts so I'll just end this reign of terror here and now."_

"What ingratitude! Here I'm trying to help you and you give me the brush off," the Joker said as he walked closer to her. "I'm afraid I must insist. You'll thank me when it's all over."

"I'm warning you!" !WAP!CRACK!SNAP!WIFF!

"Is that all you got?" the Joker replied, shrugging off some of the actress's martial arts attacks and evading others as he moved in even closer.

"Noo!" she screamed as her attacker used a belly to belly sacrifice throw that ended with the beautiful starlet flat on her back and the Joker looming over her.

!RIP!TEAR! "What a gorgeous body!" the clown said wicked grin, drooling all over himself as he admired the large breasts which seemed to stand at attention.

"Stop! No! Please!" she screamed as she tried in vain to fight him off.

"Go ahead and scream if you want I'd prefer it that way. I've already killed all of your employees so they won't disturb us," the Joker said as he carried on with the act.

"Eeeeeeeee!"

XXX

"Check this out, Detective Rollins. The perp totally ripped Darla Evans apart after he raped her," Sgt. Bullock said as they were looking over the crime scene.

"Was there a playing card of the Joker anywhere around the crime scene?" Detective Rollins asked knowing the answer.

"Yeah, right here. This is getting to be frightening. How are we going to stop this guy. And even if we do I hear this guy's superhuman and he moves with maddening speed like a dynamo. If and when we find this creep we're going to need a lot of guys for this."

"Don't overrate this guy. He's simply a serial rapist/murderer. And that's it. Now just do your job the way you usually do. At the rate you're going you'll make detective for sure," Rollins explained.

As Bullock walked away to do his job Rollins called someone on his phone. "Hey, Jim. Congratulations on your promotion to Captain. I guess you know what's going on with this Joker character. There's a rumour going on in the precinct that you're in touch with the Batman. If that's true I'd suggest you call him right away because I can't see how we can stop this guy. Apart from the calling card there are no clues as to how to nab this guy."

"Ted, you know that 'the Batman' is an urban legend. But I'll see what I can do about stopping this string of crimes," Captain Jim Gordon said as he hung up the phone.

XXX

A bus full of convicted prisoners was on it's way to the state penitentiary. The men in the bus were serial rapists and murders. Many thought these convicts were crazy, ruthless, scary and sadistic. The bus had four armed guards and thirty prisoners inside with the prisoners chained up. While the bus was several miles from it's destination, the State Penitentiary, !BOOM!

"What was that?" The guard driving the truck looked out the window, seeing a green haired, white skinned man running towards the bus and shooting what looked like a small, funny looking, one handed bazooka gun at the bus. The gun went off again and one of the windows broke as something went through it. All of a sudden the bus was filled with smoke. Everyone inside was too woozy to stop the green haired man from smashing through leaping through the window he had just broken.

"It's gas! Koff! Koff!"

"It's the Joker! Koff! Koff! Stop him!" !POP!POP! !CRACK!SHRED!SMASH! In seconds before the guards could react they were on the floor, dead and mangled by the Joker's lightning fast efficiency. That being done, the Joker took off his gas mask and sat in the driver's seat, driving the bus to another location.

"Hello there, fellas. I'm looking for some new recruits for a gang I'm starting. Anyone interested? Ha ha ha ha ha!" the clown prince of crime laughed as he drove the bus away.

He parked the bus near the woods near a river. He then got the keys and freed all of the prisoners. While the convicts piled out the Joker put a booby-trapped explosive bomb inside the bus, setting it to go off when someone opened any of the doors to the bus. "This way, boys!" the Joker directed. Many of the convicts stretched their legs as they followed their rescuer. "Now, I have another truck hidden around here. We'll just go to my hideout and start planning from there," Joker stated matter of factually.

But one of the bigger, more scary convicts stepped up to the Joker. He was six feet six inches tall weighing 300 pounds of steroid pumped muscle with hair that was long and wild. He looked like Charles Manson but bigger, better, badder. "Who died and made you king, clown? I'm taking charge here. So step aside!" the serial murderer said as he attempted to grab the Joker.

"I think not." !WIFF! "I'm too fast for ya, Roidboy!"

"Stand still, you clown!" !WIFF!

!WAP!SMACK!POW! As soon as he had the big man stunned the Joker picked him up like a sack of potatoes, throwing up in the air and grabbing him by the throat.

!ZZZZZGGTT! "Aaaarrrgghh!" the man screamed as electricity coursed through his body which turned into a horrible gurgle as blood and gore turned into only a skeleton.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" !PLOMP!

Then the clown prince of crime turned and gave an intimidating glare towards the others, having dropped the corpse to the ground. "Does anyone else have a problem?" The convicts stood there in shock with nothing to say. "I didn't think so. Now we leave. This way, boys. I can hear police sirens. It's time for us to go." the Joker said as he led the men to his stolen truck and drove off.

A few minutes later some police carefully approached the abandoned prison bus. After finding no one there one of the police opened the door. !BOOM! The explosion was so huge that the police were blown up with it.

"Did you hear that, fellows?" the Joker called out as he drove the truck miles away from the explosion. "That's how things are going to be from now on. Total chaos! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The Joker laughed as he heard the explosion. He had left bomb resistant pieces of paper near the bus saying "the Joker was here!"

XXX

_**"The police are baffled as to how to apprehend the Joker an no one knows who he was or where to find him. But I, Gerald Rivers challenge the Joker to meet me for an interview!"**_ the news reporter exclaimed on his television program, hoping for the interview of his career. Nothing came of this challenge or so Gary thought.

One day, after a long, tiring day of work, Gerald Rivers arrived at his house . When he walked into his living room and turned on the light, "what the?" he gasped as a man with green hair and chalk white skin smiled wickedly at him.

"Good evening, Mr. Rivers. I heard you wanted to see me. Well, here I am. I thought you would like to videotape this interview so I brought your cameraman along," the Joker said.

The Joker's voice sounded malevolent, crazy and harsh, sounding a little funny at the same time. He was slender but looked like someone not to be trifled with. _"This guy's graduated from the school of hard knocks. Even though this guy's crazy he's a street fighter who shouldn't be trifled with," _Gerald thought as he observed his uninvited guest.

Gerald's cameraman was sitting down in the living room tied up with his mouth in duck tape. With the sharp wave of the Joker's hands two large men dressed like hideous clowns let the cameraman loose of his bonds and gave him his camera equipment, motioning him to get to work.

Then ten more men in street clothes came into the living room. Some of them were armed. "These are those missing escaped convicts!" Gerald exclaimed.

"You catch on fast! Are we on?"

"Yes, boss. We're on,' one of the large men confirmed, regarding the cameraman who despite being more frightened than he had been in his entire life did his job due to force of habit.

Then the Joker smiled to the camera. "Hello out there. As you might have known, each one of the men in my gang them was convicted of rape, murder or both. Ha ha ha ha ha!" Two of them had Gerald's beautiful young trophy wife, Tiffany, tied up with duct tape over her mouth. She was scared witless and in tears, only wearing her lace underwear, the men who had her in their grasp leering at her lasciviously.

Gary was a little nervous but he quickly hid his fear behind his usual reporter's mask. "Well, since we're all here, let's get started. Why do you wear white makeup and dye your hair green?"

"Because I feel like it. What you really want to know is why I like to cause all sorts of mayhem. And the answer to that is I like all sorts of mayhem. But the bottom line is I like to tell jokes, not just tell them but show them." Then the Joker wagged his finger at the camera. "Show, don't tell. Anyway. You remember how I blew up that bank after I robbed it? That was brilliantly funny. There were body parts everywhere. The screams were like music to my ears."

"Ho ho ho ho ho! but you what was really funny?" the Joker asked, nodding his head waiting for an answer.

"No. What?"

"The looks on those people's faces when my timebombs blew them away; they were precious. I had a video camera inside taping the whole thing. Do you want to see the whole thing? Here it is!"

The Joker snapped his fingers and two of his men brought out the tape and put it in the vcr that was there and played it. "Gasp!" Gerald exclaimed in shock.

Then Gary regained his composure. "So you're a psychopathic maniac with class and a flare for dramatic comedy. Sounds like the makings of the Clown Prince of Crime."

Joker looked at him for a moment then said, "that's it. That's the ticket. Now you're talking. That's why I showed up here. You really are a great reporter. Just to show you my appreciation I'm going to make sure you go out with a bang! You'll be blown to smithereens while your wife watches. Your cameraman will get it all on tape. You'll be immortalized. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

"Um, I always thought I should work for my immortality," the reporter said nervously while the Joker laughed maniacally.

"Hold him down, boys!" Joker's men immediately obeyed his orders tying the reporter up. Gerald tried to scream but found he couldn't. He couldn't even move!

"Oh, yes. I've injected you with a paralysis potion. Even though you can't move you'll still be able to feel the pain of being blown to bits. And here's the time bomb I'm going to turn on." !TICK!TICK!TICK!

"You have about ten minutes. You should be happy. Everyone will remember you now. Good bye." With that the Joker and his men left the home, leaving the cameraman and Gary Rivers to their fate. They had tied the cameraman up and tied his camera to him in such a way that Gary Rivers would be taped as he died.

"Hey, Boss. What are we going to do with her?" one of the goons asked giving Tiffany a lascivious leer which gave her the shivers. The other henchmen joined in on the leering.

"Well, I have an idea. When we get out of here and arrive at our hideout you guys can have her. Make sure she's blindfolded and doesn't know where our hideout is," the Joker laughed as he and his men drove off with their Gerald's frightened young wife in tow as Gerald's house blew up with Gerald and his cameraman in it.

XXX

Jim Gordon and the Gotham Police Department were still baffled about how to capture the Joker and the convicts he had helped escape so Jim decided to call on Batman. A few weeks ago he and Batman had come to an understanding. Jim wasn't thrilled with the idea of a vigilante taking the law into his own hands but he knew the Gotham Police Dept. was corrupt.

When no one was looking Jim put a small bat shaped object on the largest search light on the top of the police building.

"What is it?" Batman asked coming out of the shadows.

"There's a serial killer on the loose calling himself the Joker. He wears chalk white makeup and dresses in purple, pin striped clothes. He helped a bunch of dangerous convicts escape."

"We believe he blew up Gerald Rivers and his cameraman in the late reporter's home. Tiffany Rivers was found dead in a dumpster a few days later. She had been raped and brutally beaten up, and she was horribly disfigured."

"We also believe he killed Jimmy Jones, Fred Olsen, Bob Kasper and Darla Evans after he had robbed them. Each of the victims had a hideous and twisted smile on his face."

"As of now we're at wits end. Some people say this Joker has superhuman strength. And that he's fights like a crazed wild man. That's all I have for you right now. I hope you can stop this guy. We have no idea where he'll strike next."

"Batman. Batman?" James Gordon looked around and found Batman had disappeared. "I hate it when he does that."

XXX

While Batman was going over all the information he had in the Batcave he noticed that the Joker's crimes were leaving a pattern. He killed one rich guy named **J**ones then killed a rich guy named **O**lsen then he killed a guy named **K**asper. After that he raped and murdered the movie actress, Darla **E**vans. Then it was Gerald **R**ivers.

_"Now, who's next?"_ Batman thought as he got in the Batmobile and took off searching around town trying to figure out where the Joker would strike next. As he was driving around something occurred to him.

_"The only problem to my theory is that the first person's name was Wilt __**B**__ilkins. There must be another clue to who the next victim will be. I have only one hunch. Darla Evans was a sex bomb who was on her way out. It could be that the Joker is someone who hates/loves beauty. Bill Allen has a wife who won the Miss Gotham Beauty Pageant twenty years ago. And his two teenage daughters have won beauty contests since they were able to walk." _

Batman put the Batmobile in high gear and took off for Bill Allen's home. When he got there he noticed that some of the convicts the Joker had helped escape were outside, guarding the front door. Batman then put the Batmobile in stealth mode and parked it somewhere where it was hidden. He then appeared behind the guards and quickly took them out, slipping inside.

"All right. Take the money. But leave me and my family alone!" Bill Allen said to the chalk faced man with green hair.

"Oh, I'll take your money. But I'll take your life as well. But don't worry about your family. My boys will take care of your wife and teenage daughters. My, your daughters are ripe, aren't they?" the Joker said as his men leered at them.

"Why you?" Bill said as he got up only to be put down by Joker's laughing henchmen. There were two behind Mr. Allen and four behind his wife and daughters. While this was going on Batman went to where the circuit breaker was and turned off the electricity.

"Who turned off the lights?" one of the henchmen asked to no one in particular.

"Otis! See about getting those lights turned back on!" the clowned prince ordered. But Otis couldn't answer at that moment.

Then Batman stealthily nerve pinched the guys who were guarding the women. But one of them got suspicious and made an attempt to fight, prompting Batman to strike him in the jaw knocking him out.

"Who is that? Whos' there?" the Joker asked, feeling something move around the room. !WUMP!WUMP! Once he had put on some infrared goggles and saw who it was who was beating up his men he took off running. As the Joker took off he heard footsteps behind him closing in. Then the Joker ran up to the roof through the stairway and leaped over the ledge. His built in flying backpack appeared from his clothes, allwoing him to fly off but not before Batman had managed to throw a tracer on him.

"So long, Batman. I'll see you later!" Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !" he laughed as he looked back and then flew into the moonlight.

XXX

Back at his hideout the Joker was fuming with rage. "How dare this Batman ruin all my plans? He totally ruined my joke. Killing Allen and destroying his family would have been priceless."

"What are we going to do about the Batman, Boss? We oughtta just rub him out or something like that," one of his goons said.

"Oh, shut up! I'm trying to think here!" !VROOM! "What's that?"

!CRASH! The Batmobile smashed through the garage door of the abandoned warehouse the Joker had used for his hideout. Joker's henchmen took out machine guns and fired on the Batman's vehicle but the bullets just simply the bounced off the Batmobile. The men kept firing until Batman seemed to appear out of nowhere as he got out of the Batmobile moving at super human speed flying all over the place. He was so fast that the thugs never saw him coming. During the battle he nerve pinched one thug Mr. Spock style, struck another thug in the jaw and another he karate chopped in the back of the neck.

As soon as the Batman had taken down all of the Joker's henchmen, he searched for his main quarry. Then he heard from loud speakers which seemed to be coming from everywhere,_** "Ta ta, Batman! Oh, don't feel so bad. I've left you something to keep you company!" **_!VROOM!

"I'll just start up my remote control robot I have there and have it attack Batman," Joker said as he pressed some buttons on his getaway car as he drove away.

"Where is he? Where's the Joker?" Batman said to one of the goons who was barely conscious. Then a huge robot that looked like the Joker clanked his way to him.

Batman dropped the goon and avoided being hit by the twelve foot robot's attack. Batman leaped back and then shot out like a bullet striking the robot as he leaped back and forth.

Joker was wearing a mechanical headband that allowed him to control the robot from his car. "_**You're pretty fast, Batman. But I'll get you sooner or later. Ha ha ha ha!"**_ the robot's loud speaker cackled.

"So you're the Joker. Quit hiding behind this robot and face me, you coward!" Batman said as he avoided another swipe by the robot. Batman then did something unexpected.

He ran into the robot and attacked it with rapidfire punch and kick combinations, having figured out a weakness in the machine while he was maneuvering against it. As the robot began to spark up Batman leaped back and threw a ki powered batarang which damaged the robot causing it to spark up even more and smolder.

"How could you have even put a dent in my machine? No normal man could do something like that!" the Joker exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm no ordinary man. I'm Batman!" Batman ran towards the robot and hit it with several fast, powerful and well placed roundhouse kicks that caused the robot to sputter, malfunction and fall to the ground in a heap.

!SMASH! _**"You sunk my battlebot!"**_ "No matter. It was nice knowing you, Batman. I have to go now. Good bye!" The Joker put the pedal to the metal on his car and drove off.

Batman heard a ticking as his danger sense went off so he got in the Batmobile and high tailed it out of there. !KABOOM! The warehouse went up in a ball of fire going into the air.

"This isn't over Joker," Batman said to the exploding hideout as he drove off.

XXX

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I hope you've enjoyed reading this. I sure have enjoyed writing this. I also want to thank all of those who left me a review.

Excel, AshK, They call me Bruce, thames, Speed Reader, gen x, bat 21.


	4. Backwards Masking

Batman the Dark Knight

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Batman or any of the series portrayed here. This is simply fanfiction.

!SOUND EFFECTS! _"THOUGHTS"_

Chapter Four

In a laboratory in an underground basement, John Paul Pepper was conducting the finishing touches to his experiments. _"If this works I'll not only increase my strength and durability to super human levels but I will also develop mental powers. Now, down the hatch."_

After drinking the chemical solution, John Paul changed, getting bigger and stronger. He also felt more agile and aware of his surroundings, smiling as he admired himself in the mirror. Then he contemplated his plans for the future.

_"Now I'll take control of the world around me. After some training in martial arts and zen spiritualism I'll be ready. I'll also do some studying on mind control and mental powers. I must train my body, mind and spirit to become what I'm planning on. But I need a hook of some kind."_

John Paul looked around and saw his late father's old Beatles record. After dusting it off he played it. He especially liked the part that went, **"number nine, number nine, number nine." **John Paul was practically hypnotized by the words and music of the Beatles. He had always loved their music. He even liked Paul McCartney's next group, the Eagles and their music. But this was his favorite record.

As the music played he felt his mental powers increase and increase and increase.

XXX

A few months later the new super villain, Number Nine, crept into the estate of Martha Graham. It was one of the larger estates in Gotham City surrounded by a nice, plush garden with vineyards containing large, ripe grapes. There were also beautiful cherry trees which had won several contests over the years. Martha Graham had a reputation for having a green thumb but more importantly she had a reputation for owning nine 22 carat diamonds in a safe which had proven invulnerable to the best thieves of Gotham. This was in addition to the high level of security she had at her estate.

_"It's 9:00p.m. now, yes? As dark as it is now finding me would be difficult. Even if the security here should find me it won't really matter. Those nine diamonds are mine," _John Paul thought to himself

"What are you doing here? Stop!" a couple of armed security guards with guard dogs called out to the figure they noticed in the dark.

"Number nine. Number nine. Number nine," the figure replied to the guards and their dogs, causing them to fall asleep with his mental power. Once this was done he took the keys of one of the guards and used them to get inside the mansion.

While socialite, Martha Graham, was going over some paperwork she felt a presence. "Who are you?" The socialite turned to see a man dressed up and looking like Paul McCartney did when he was a member of the Beatles, mop head and all. The only thing different was the large number 9 on his chest and the fact that what he wore what looked more like the kind of leotard a super hero or villain would wear. He also had a weird aura about him with his red eyes.

"I said, who are you?" Martha screamed.

"Number Nine! Number Nine! Number Nine!"

"What? What does that have to do with anything? Get out of my house, you freak!"

Then the Beatles dressed man walked over to her. Unbeknown to him, Martha pressed a button which activated a silent alarm and tape recorder. Then his eyes glowed a brighter red for a moment. After reading her mind, he psi-blasted her! "Eeeeee!"

"Number Nine! Number Nine! Number Nine!" the intruder said as he continued to mental blast her sending her mind into oblivion with his psionic attack.

"Oooh!" the woman screamed as she died.

After having read his victim's mind for the combination of the safe, he went to it, unlocked it and took the money out. He also took out the nine diamonds that were there. Then he left the home.

XXX

"Eeeeeek! Get away from meeee!" a young woman wearing a Wendy's uniform screamed as she ran away from some guys in a street gang called the Roidragers.

"You can run but you can't hide, bitch! Bwa ha ha ha!" the leader of about a dozen or so other gang members called out as he and his gang chased after her into a dark alley. The leader was a Caucasian well over six feet tall with steroid powered muscles, bald with an earring on his left ear wearing dark blue jeans. He was bare chested except for the open jacket he wore that had a picture of an extremely muscular and bare chested man on the back. The other members of his gang were similarly attired with similar physiques being bald with the left earring as well.

"You're at a dead end, girl," the gang leader said as he walked over to the frightened young girl reaching for her shirt, tearing it off.

"Eeeeee!" the girl screamed.

"Shut up!" !SLAP! the leader said slapping her almost knocking her unconscious.

"Wow, she's hot, Bart!" one of Bart's crew said while the other gang members nodded in agreement. "Let's see the rest of her!"

!RIIIIP! "She is hot. I know how to pick em. Am I right, boys!" the leader exclaimed as his gang members cheered.

"Don't hurt me, please!" the naked woman pleaded.

"Shut up!" Bart ordered as he started to undo his pants.

"Stop it!" a voice called out.

"Who said that?" Bart yelled a little angry.

"It wasn't any of us, boss. Maybe someone's playing a joke on us."

"It was just the wind, Roy. Now where were we?"

"Stop it or I'll stop you!" the dark voice called out again. This time everyone in the gang turned to see two eye slits in the dark, glaring back at them.

"Who the f#&# are you?" a gang member asked, a little frightened.

"It's just some nut. Get him!" Bart ordered.

As the gang members rushed the interloper, he seemed to vanish from where he was and appear in the midst of them hitting one with a right cross, another with a snap kick and another with a head to nose headbutt knocking them out. Then he picked a particularly large member of the gang and threw him at the other charging members of the gang knocking them down.

"You guys are an embarrassment! I'll deal with this guy!" Bart said as he pulled out a gun and tried to shoot the Batman and missed. "What theee? I shot you! The bullets went right through you. So why are you still standing?"

"Drop the gun or I'll drop you," the Batman said in a creepy manner.

"No way, man! I shot you and the bullets went right through you. You must be a ghost. There's no way you could be real," Bart said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

Bart smiled as a particularly tall member of his gang tried to attack Batman from behind with a baseball bat intending to bring the bat down on his head in an axe handle fashion. But Bart had a look of shock on his face when Batman put his right knee up, extended his right foot forward and finally threw his right foot back over his own shoulder kicking the tall gang member in the nose several times in this manner in less than a second, breaking the gang member's nose.

After the tall gang member hit the ground with a thud, Batman walked over to the gang leader. "It's over, Bart."

"I'm out of here!" Bart said as he ran away like a bat out of hell towards the open street. But he didn't get far as he turned around the corner and ran straight into Batman!

"Where do you think you're going, Bart?" Batman said without being the least bit winded.

"You're not even real! You're some kind of creature. Who are you?"

Then Batman grabbed him. While they were face to face he said, "I'm Batman!" !POW! After the gang leader was knocked unconscious, Batman threw a batarang at the fleeing gang members who thought they had gotten away hitting each one in the neck in a ricochet fashion nailing all of them in less than a second. By the time Batman's weapon returned to him the fleeing gang members were on the ground unconscious.

XXX

"A man calling himself Batman came out of nowhere and beat up the punks who attacked me!" the woman who worked for Wendy's said giving a statement to the police who had arrested her downed attackers.

"I don't believe this, Ted," Detective Bullock conferred with the other detective. "Ever since this Batman character has shown up the crime rate has gone down. This guy's some kind of vigilante."

"What are you talking about, Bullock?" the slender, tall African-American with a mustache said. "He's making us look like a bunch of chumps. I can't wait to arrest him myself."

"Oh, I agree with you, Ted. But I just can't get over how he took on a gang all by his lonesome. Have you heard about the Number Nine thief?"

"Yeah. I've heard about him. That guy has a Paul McCartney Beatles fetish or something like that," Detective Ted Rollins answered.

"Beatles fetish?"

"Maybe those aren't the best words for this guy. Word has it he likes to dress up like Paul McCartney did when he was one of the Beatles in the late 60's. I hear he even looks like McCartney. Anyway, before he kills or robs his victims he says the words, 'number nine,' over and over again.'"

"Any idea why the perp always says number nine before he robs someone?" Bullock asked bewildered.

"I think it has something to do with a Beatles album that came out decades ago. On a part of the record someone says, 'number nine' over and over again."

"What does that have to do with him committing crimes?" Bullock asked exasperated.

"I'm getting to it. It's all about backwards masking. Having hidden messages was a big thing way back then. Number nine was said in such a way that when played backwards it would say, turn me on dead man."

"I find that hard to believe. There's no way that could happen."

"It has already happened. It's supposed to be a subliminal message. The Beatles had low sales at the time so they wanted to infer that Paul McCartney was going to die. There were all sorts of backward masked messages in music in the 60's and 70's."

"Where did you get all of this information?" Harvey Bullock asked now curious.

"It was my parents. They heard about all this when they were in high school. When I was growing up they didn't let me listen to rock music or watch music videos for fear there would be an evil message in the music. I think they over reacted but I ended up learning a lot about things like that."

Detective Bullock looked at Rollins for a moment. "That's the most ridiculous explanation I've ever heard! I think that perp is just a murderer and that's that."

"You're a Beatles fan, aren't you?" Detective Rollins asked narrowing his eyes at Bullock.

"Yeah, but I'm mostly an Eagles fan. Some people said they had hidden messages in their music too. I don't believe that rubbish."

"Wouldn't it be weird if this guy somehow put backwards messages somewhere causing everyone to do is bidding?"

"It ain't even happening. Get over it all ready!"

"I'm not the one with the problem. You're the one having a fit over it. Did you listen to rock music that had backwards masked messages that hypnotized you to eat a whole lot?" Rollins asked with a smirk.

"What are ya, some kind of comedian? Hardy har har!" the large man faked a laugh.

XXX

In a dark basement of his home in the slums of Gotham, John Paul Pepper, also known as the master criminal, Number Nine, was tinkering with his new hypnotic hidden message machine. _"This machine will expand my mental powers making me more effective. As it is I have a crew of henchmen who do my bidding. Eventually I'll have anything I want."_

"Everyone's ready to go, Boss'," Number Nine's second-in-command, Linda Yoko, said from the comlink near John Paul's desk. She was a blond haired half European/half Japanese woman in her early 20's, very attractive with a sleek figure and very efficient in martial arts, mostly ninjitsu.

"Hold on. I'll be out there in nine minutes. We'll leave for the 9th National bank by then. Warm up my armored cars. Be sure to stick to the plan."

The armored cars were gray with a nine on the right and left sides. Number Nine and his men were dressed like the Beatles did when they were on the Ed Sullivan Show in the 60's. The only difference was that they wore masks with the eye slits backwards. Despite the fact the front of the masks were blank the henchmen were still able to see. Number Nine himself wore a mop top hairstyle making him look like Paul McCartney did in the 60's.

Nine minutes later, Number Nine and his nine car gang took off for the 9th National Bank. "Just like clock work," Number Nine said as an armored truck left after having dropped off a lot of money.

"That place is practically a fortress. How are we supposed to get in there, get the money and get out?" Linda asked with concern.

"You'll see in a moment," Number Nine said as he turned on a loud speaker that had some Beatles music in it. At the end of the song the words, "_**number nine, number nine," **_were said over and over again. When Number Nine and his crew went into the bank everyone there was in a trance.

After surveying his surroundings, Number Nine said, "give me and my men all of your money and valuables! Those of you who work at this bank will unlock the safe and help my men get all the money you have."

After Number Nine had spoken everyone in the bank complied and helped his men. The 9 men with Number Nine and Linda Yoko carried out gold, silver and cash. Once the bank and the customers were cleaned out Number Nine and his men walked out, put the loot in their cars and drove off for their hideout. Nine minutes later everyone at the bank came out of their trance.

Once he and his gang had made it back to their hideout Number Nine divided the spoil among his crew. "Now don't spend all your money in one place. I'll be very angry with any of you who screw this up."

"Sure, Boss. We get ya," the members of his gang answered.

XXX

"How did this happen?" the president of the 9th National Bank asked the manager of the bank in disgust as he surveyed the aftermath of the robbery.

"We don't remember what happened, sir. It's like we were all put to sleep."

"The video showed you taking the money out of the safe and giving it to the robbers. I know they were armed but you were awfully cooperative. Why didn't anyone press the button that sent off the alarm?"

"None of us remember, sir. We just don't get it."

"Those guys even got the gold shipment that was left here. It's obvious they knew what they were doing. Maybe they had an inside man. What do we know about these guys?"

"They all wore masks backwards with blank faces except for the leader who didn't wear a mask and looked like Paul McCartney did several years ago. And the leader of the group calls himself Number Nine."

At that moment, police detectives, Harvey Bullock and Ted Rollins, walked towards them after having questioned the other people who had been there. "Hello there. I'm Detective Harvey Bullock and this is Detective Ted Rollins. We'll get these guys, Mr. Bank President."

"I should hope so! We'll give you copies of the tapes of what happened here," the bank president said walking away as the manager followed him.

"You don't think this Number Nine guy used some kind of mind control over the people in the bank do you?" Bullock asked fearing an I-told-you-so.

"I think he did. I told you this would happen. I thought my parents were kooks but what they feared would happen has come true," Detective Rollins explained.

"Your parents are kooks! There's nothing to this backwards masking bullsh&#! This guy's just a thief and a murderer! Paul McCartney and the Beatles have nothing to do with this guy!"

"Don't you remember what the people here said? They were practically hypnotized. All they remember was hearing, 'number nine' over and over again. There's something to all this."

"Don't even go there. I think your weird upbringing has wrecked your mind."

"I think your love for the Beatles, more importantly the Eagles, gets in the way of this investigation. I'm not blaming the Beatles for the murders or the robbery. I'm just saying we have clues to nab this guy. Will you relax? Take it easy, Harvey."

"You know me. I'll take it anyway I can get it."

XXX

"Have you read about the murders and bank robberies of the master criminal, Number Nine, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked as Bruce Wayne had his breakfast and read the newspaper.

"Yes, I have. It's time for this Number Nine to meet the Batman!"

XXX

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'll try to update sooner. I tend to favor the fics that give me more feedback. If you like this send me a review for it. Now I'd like to give props for the people who reviewed the last chapter.

Kool Moe D., Redzorin, Sir Thames, Excel, They call me Bruce, luger 7, gen x, AshK, bat 21

Here are Number Nine's stats

FIGHTING: INCREDIBLE (This means superior talent backed up by intensive training and or experience)

AGILITY: EXCELLENT (This means regular formal training, near olympic level agility)

STRENGTH: INCREDIBLE (This means the ability to lift 10 tons)

ENDURANCE: INCREDIBLE (This mean enhanced human abilities)

REASON: REMARKABLE (This means the equivalent of a doctorate's degree)

INTUITION: REMARKABLE (This means deductive background and skills)

PSYCHE: AMAZING (This means indomitable will power)

HEALTH: 140

KARMA: 110

RESOURCES: EXCELLENT

POPULARITY: 10

POWERS:

BODY RESISTANCE: Excellent(ability to withstand around 800-1000 pounds of pressure sharp or blunt)

PSI SCREEN: Amazing

PSIONIC DETECTION: Amazing

REGENERATION: Good.

RECOVERY: Good.

SHAPE SHIFT: Can only make himself look like a not too convincing Paul McCartney look-a-like and change his clothes. This power stays on even if John Paul is knocked unconscious.

MENTAL POWERS: Must be able to say** number nine **in order for these powers to work.

TELEPATHY: Amazing

MIND PROBE: Amazing

MENTAL COMMAND: Amazing

MIND WIPE: Amazing

EQUIPMENT:

John Paul often brings loud speakers and high fi stereos with in order to increase the range and scope of his mental powers.

TALENTS: Extensive knowledge of the Beatles, the Eagles and Paul McMarteney, Hypnotism, Buddism, Occult Lore, Repair/Tinker, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Physics, Electronics, Security Systems, Martial Arts: B, C, E, Languages: Japanese, Korean, Hindu, Ability to read, understand or comprehend anything backwards quickly


	5. Number's up

Batman the Dark Knight

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Batman or any of the series portrayed here. This is simply fanfiction.

!SOUND EFFECTS! _"THOUGHTS" _

Chapter Five

_"Number Nine is obsessed with the number nine. _So _his next crime will have something to do with the number nine. There is an art exhibit of a painting called Nine Stars. Number Nine will probably attempt to steal that painting along with a lot of other things there. When Number Nine shows up, the Batman will be waiting. Since this guy likes playing with tapes so much I'll tape record my confrontation with him. This might give me a clue as to what this guy is about," _Bruce thought to himself as he got in the Batmobile and drove off into the night.

"All right, ye blokes," Number Nine said to his, at the time, nine henchmen including his chief lieutenant, Kyu. "Keep it quiet. The painting is right here."

"Your number is up, Number Nine," a voice called out from the darkness.

"Who bloody said that?" Number Nine said in his lousy British accent.

Out of the darkness came the Batman! "It's over, Nine. Don't bother with your backwards masking mind control. My will is too strong for you.

"You should have bloody stayed out of this, Batman! Gun him down!" Number Nine ordered his men.

!RAT!TAT!TAT!TAT!TAT! !WIFF!MISS! As soon the smoke cleared Batman was still standing there as if he hadn't moved at all.

"How the?"

"You missed."

"Bloody hell!" Number Nine screamed as the Batman silently walked over to them. "You guys will have to take him out the old fashion way. Get him!"

Four guys came at the Batman with reckless speed and knives drawn but Batman simply evaded their attacks. The Batman surprised them when he quickly disarmed them by striking nerves in their hands, causing them to drop their weapons. After Number Nine's henchmen rubbed their hands in pain they attacked again. Moving at super speed, Batman kicked the first one with a forward snap kick in his abdomen knocking the thug into the another one and into the ground. As the other two came at Batman from either side Batman disappeared letting the two slam into each other. Then he reappeared, slamming their heads together again. As the only henchmen still conscious threw his unconscious comrade off of him he got up to attack Batman again only for Batman to strike in the solar plexus, causing the sternum bone above to crack a little. Once said thug was unconscious Batman turned towards the arch villain.

"Kyu! Get im!" Number Nine ordered.

Dressed like a cross between a ninja and a chick in a music video, Kyu leaped up in the air with an acrobatic flip landing right in front of Batman attacking him with lightning reflexes with knife like staves which Batman deftly blocked with his armored gloves. After all the sparks flew Batman reached his hand forward and struck Kyu in the jaw cold cocking her into unconsciousness.

"It looks like you'll have to fight me yourself, Nine," Batman said ominously.

"All right, Batman. Let's do it. Or maybe not." Number Nine made a pretense of moving towards Batman but instead turned around quickly and ran, tossing a smoke bomb over his shoulder. With running speed which surprised the Batman, Nine picked up Kyu and disappeared into his get away car.

_"If he thinks he can get away from me, he's in for a rude awakening,"_ the Batman thought as he sped off towards his Batmobile. Once he was inside he took off for the van which Number Nine drove off in.

"Bloody ell! He's gaining on me!" the master criminal said as he pushed the accelerator causing his van to go into overdrive clocking at over one hundred miles an hour.

_"He won't elude me. I'll have to deal with this guy once and for all." _

As the two costumed characters sped through the streets of Gotham several other cars did their best to stay out of their but sometimes ... !EEERRP!CRASH!

"Get out of the bloody way!" the number nine obsessed villain called out over his shoulder to the two cars his erratic driving had caused to smash into each other.

Despite all of the cars that were strewn all over the road whether crashed or not Batman still deftly maneuvered the Batmobile through the carnage without crashing into anything. But when Number Nine pushed a button on his car's dashboard, turning on his spoiler, increasing the distance between himself and his pursuer, speeding away at the speed of 300 miles per hour.

_"I'll __have to slow it down; I can't see through all that smoke. I'll send a tip to the police about Number Nine's gang being at the museum; they'll be able to handle things from there." _With that Batman returned to the museum.

Batman stealthily walked back inside the museum and walked up to one of the members of the Number Nine gang. "Who is Number Nine and where is his hideout?" Batman interrogated, picking up the first member of the gang who stirred.

"I don't know, man, honest! Gack!"

"Wrong answer.

XXX

_**"In the news today, the new mysterious master criminal known **_**as **_**Number Nine was foiled in **_**an **_**attempt to rob the museum of the painting called the Nine Stars. No one knows who or what stopped him but it's all together possible Number Nine's plans went backwards on him!" **_

"I suppose things went well yesterday, Master Bruce," Alfred said as he served Bruce Wayne his dinner.

"Not exactly, Alfred. I managed to disrupt Number Nine's robbery attempt but he still got away. Now I need to figure out when he'll strike next. Once I've done that I'll defeat Number Nine and bring him to justice."

"Very good, Sir. Don't forgot about your scheduled luncheon with the Mayor and the other pillars of society. Might I also remind you that Miss Ingrid Sorenson is to accompany you there?"

"0h, yes. Thanks for reminding me, Alfred. I'll go shower and change," Bruce said, getting up.

"Very good, sir. May I prepare your limousine?"

"Yes! Have Babette meet us in the carport!" Bruce called out.

A few minutes later, Alfred was driving Bruce and Babette Sorenson to the very important luncheon. "Quit fussing over yourself, Ingrid. You look just fine."

"I have to look perfect, Bruce. There will be cameras all over the place. I have to look good." But as the statuesque, Scandinavian beauty applied her makeup a large car drove by.

"Get out of the way, Bitch!" one of the drivers called out as he almost crashed into the limousine. Alfred had to do some evasive maneuvers while Ingrid was working with her makeup, making her mess her face up.

"You still look good, Ingrid," Bruce said in a conciliatory manner as the Nordic beauty frowned at him.

"I look just awful, Bruce. It's all your fault too."

"My fault?"

"Your chauffeur should have been more careful."

"Well, you still look nice."

Ingrid ran to the ladies room with speed that even impressed Bruce as he saw her run. After making herself presentable she sat next to him. During the luncheon, Bruce had other things on his mind. _"I've been reading on backwards masking and things of that nature for a while now. There's a theory that says when someone talks, what they really believe can be found out by taping what they've said and playing it back backwards. As soon as this luncheon is over I'm going to play the tape of Number Nine when I confronted him. If that theory is true of anyone it would surely be true of Number Nine."_

XXX

Later that night at the Batcave, Batman was playing the tape he had recorded the day before when he had caught Number Nine and some of the members of his gang at the museum. Then he played it backwards!

**"I'm going to rob the 3rd City Bank at 3:33 a.m. The police probably expect me to rob the 9th City Bank so this way I'll outsmart everyone. Not even Batman will be able to figure it out. It will be quiet and no one will know until it's too late. Then we'll go back to our hideout and divide the spoils."**

_"I don't know if the theory is correct or not but it will be in my best interests to show up at the 3rd City Bank just to be sure. I hope Number Nine doesn't show up at the 9th City Bank as I would have thought." _

Batman got in the Batmobile and sped off for the 3rd City Bank. The bank was closed and the caped crusader noticed that the front doors were still locked and not tampered with. After parking his car in a safe hidden place, Batman ran up the side of the wall without making any noise. When he reached the top he noticed a man sized hole in the ceiling. After carefully getting inside he skulked around for a few minutes until he heard some noises.

"Come on. Don't be so bloody slow. Speed it up!"

"Right, boss!" Number Nine had over nineteen henchmen with him who were carrying bags of money and gold bars. Then the lights went out.

"Who turned off the bloody lights?" the arch villain demanded to know.

!POW! "Ungh!"

!CRACK! "Oof!"

!CRUNCH! "Aargh!"

!SMASH! "Ungh!"

This went on for a few seconds until one of Number Nine's henchmen managed to get the lights on again. As soon as the lights were on the numbered villain noticed most of his henchmen were on the ground unconscious. Batman faced off with Number Nine when he hit the last henchman who promptly hit the ground.

"It's over Nine."

"It ain't over until I bloody say it's over! Ere! I'll show you. He immediately pressed a button in his clothes jacket, making the sound of, _**"number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine," **_resonate through out the bank building. It sounded as if it was coming from everywhere.

"it won't work, Number Nine," the Batman said coldly.

"It will work. I especially made this music for you. Even your will is not strong enough to resist my numbered control." Batman strained to resist the backwards masked mind control as he struggled to keep from falling to the ground. "You'll fall, Batman! You'll fall! Admit that you're inferior to me that I'm your master!"

"You don't control me, Nine," Batman gasped as he walked over towards the arch villain.

"You shoulda catered to my control. Now I'm going to beat you up. I'm a lot stronger than you think. My strength is super human and I've got super speed." Number Nine came at Batman quickly, appearing right in front of the caped crusader, attacking him with countless punches and kicks with speed and power but no skill.

Batman evaded and counter attacked with some difficulty but he got several blows through Number Nine's non-existent defenses. In fact the numbered villain wasn't able to land a single attack, being unable to find any openings in Batman's defenses. In a few seconds Number Nine was on the ground unconscious.

After observing the area for a moment Batman called Capt. Gordon and informed him of what had expired.

"Thanks a lot, Batman. I'll bring some men over there right away."

"Very, well. Number Nine is possessed of super strength so I've tied him up with especially strong ropes. Make sure you and your men are careful when you deal with him. He also is a trained hypnotist so be aware." With that the Batman drove off into the night.

XXX

AUTHOR'S NOTES: In the next chapter Batman deals with the Riddler. Now I'd like to give props to all the people who've given me reviews for the last chapter.

Speed Reader, AshK, Redzorin, Sir Thames, They call me Bruce, luger 7


	6. The Riddler's Ruse

Batman the Dark Knight

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Batman or any of the characters in the series portrayed here. This is simply fanfiction.

!SOUND EFFECTS! _"THOUGHTS"_

Chapter Six

There he was, standing among dozens of advanced technological devices. Using his inhuman stealth and skills as a thief he had broken into Star Labs without anybody having detected him. As he made his way through the magnificent laboratory, tip toeing, he found the mechanical device he'd been wanting, the inter-dimensional machine! It really didn't look like much, it being the size of a shoe box and resembling a computer modem. But the device radiated power and sophisticated as the lights and buttons pulsated.

After disabling the security around the device with a wave of his fingers that dropped alchemist dust over the nearly impenetrable glass casing, he seized the moment, putting his hands through the now transparent glass and snatching up the irreplaceable device.

"Where is that experimental inter-dimensional machine?" a high level scientist who worked for STAR labs demanded after getting up in the morning, going to the lab and finding the object of his affection gone.

"What?" another scientist exclaimed, running to the safe in which the shoe box sized sized machine had been. "There's no way anyone could have broken in here and stole anything without anybody knowing. Our security is top of the line!"

"I'll call security!" another scientist announced, running off.

"This is bad news indeed. That machine was only in an experimental phase. It hadn't been perfected. If that thing should fall into the wrong hands it would be a disaster! Who would have had the guile and cunning to have bypassed security and taken it?"

A few miles away outside, a crafty individual skulks off into the night. _"Who would have thought the security of that place was so easy to crack? Nobody but me of course. I knew placing hidden recording devices in Star Labs would pay off someday. Now that I have this device there are so many things I can do with it like cause all sorts of havoc in Gotham City!" _the figure thought to himself as his-made-for-stealth-vehicle flew off into the night along with his stolen machine.

XXX

In Gotham City a rash of crimes, each having a riddle of some kind attached to it had baffled the police. The mob, many of whose illegal operations had been foiled by the Batman, had heard about the arch criminal who had evaded the police and even their caped nemesis, acting freely within the city unlike the mafia themselves. This being the case; the major crime bosses decided to have a meeting at a large, posh, fine dining restaurant owned by the giant sized Italian mob boss, Carmine Defanto who was present at the meeting. He stood at six foot ten inches tall weighing 400 pounds, most of it muscle. Seated at the tables were several of the goons of each of the mob bosses who looked at each other warily.

"I don't know about hiring a nut who wears a green faggot suit with question marks all over it," the old school Italian mob boss said to the other mob bosses gathered around the main table in a large fine dining restaurant. There were several different ethnicities there from Blacks, Mexicans, Italians, Japanese and even newly arrived Russians from the late Soviet Union.

"I don't like it either, Esse," the Mexican gang leader interjected. "But we have to do something."

"That's right, Gee. Gotta do something. Why don't we see for ourselves and find out what time it is with this guy?" the Black gang leader said.

"I have much better idea. I know assassins from Mother Russia. They can do in this Batman and leave town. No one would be wiser," the Russian mob boss explained.

"It would be better for me to get a ninja assassin from Japan to do our adversary in. He can..."

"You tried that before, man!" the Black gang member interrupted to the chagrin of the Japanese mob boss. "Your ninjas tried to smoke the Bat and failed. That caped guy beat up your kung fu fighters so fast they were on the ground in seconds!"

"They were ninjas not kung fu experts."

"What the F- ever! F- y'all. I'm gonna get some badass guys from Compton who know what time it is."

"No, Tyrone," the old school Italian mob boss interjected. "Your guys have a tendency to shoot up everyone and everything except their targets. They'll turn the city into a war zone. That's why you have a problem paying the cops off."

"That's because the cops are racist!"

"It's not that, you moolie. The police can only allow so much. When too many people get killed and there's that much damage the cops can't look the other way. It doesn't matter how much you pay them."

"What did you call me?"

"Ha ha ha! He get you there, Tyrone," the Mexican gang boss laughed.

"Your guys shoot up town as well, Rico. Illegal aliens you keep bringing in bother populace. You need to..."

"Don't tell me what to do with my people. Go back to Russia while you still can. This is our..."

"We are getting nowhere fast. Let's see the clown wearing the question marks."

"I agree," the Yakusa crimelord commented. All of a sudden a man wearing a raincoat backed up by ten or so other guys and a couple of extremely fit, voluptuous amazon sized women dressed in green skimpy, one piece bathing suits which showed a healthy amount of cleavage, sporting a lot of question marks walked in. In addition to that the women wore high heel shoes while the men were dressed in green tuxedos, wearing derbys and domino masks. **(1)**

"Clown? Don't confuse me with that loser, the Joker! Anyhoo, I hear you guys wanted to see me. Let me introduce myself. I am the Riddler!" Saying that, he threw off the derby and raincoat, revealing a green leotard with question marks all over it and a green domino mask of his own. He twirled around in a flamboyant manner and smiled his pearly whites at the crime bosses. He was a somewhat good looking man who was slender but muscular like a man on the cover of a fitness or workout magazine. His black hair was cut short, slightly balding.

"This is the pendejo that's defying the Batman?" the Mexican crime boss exclaimed incredulously.

"I am the one who has been defying not only the Batman but the police as well. So riddle me this. What is well dressed, fat and well fed?" The crime bosses and their men looked at themselves and the Riddler quizzically.

"Two answers." As the Riddler talked he walked through the restaurant, prancing and mincing as he went along, practically gliding on the ground. "One answer is a Thanksgiving turkey. The next answer is you guys!"

"What? Listen here, you fairie! You don't come into my restaurant and start running your mouth off like dat. I don't give a flying F- who you are!" Carmine Defanto exclaimed in a rage, getting up from his chair.

"Oh, but it's true. You's guys," the Riddler said in a mock Italian accent, "have had things too good for too long. You've had it so easy that one man in a bat suit makes saps out of all of you. You're shaking in your boots as we speak. I'm not even sure I want to work with you guys."

"Who said you would be working with us? You would be working for us, assuming we decide to hire you," the Japanese crimelord answered in a matter of fact manner.

The Riddler spun around and pointed at the answering crime boss. "I'm not working for you. I'm working for something else."

"Who are you working for, punkass?" the black crimelord demanded.

"Funny you should ask. Riddle me this. Why is the fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty, so important?"

"It figures fairy like you would be into fairy tales," the Russian crime boss answered in a huff. "We have all read stupid fairy tale. Before we throw you out tell us why stupid fairy tale is so important."

"In this fairy tale," the Riddler said with pomp and flare. "The baby princess had her first birthday where the king and queen invited everyone except for one witch. This witch was pissed off at not having been invited to the birthday party so she put a curse on the princess sending her into a deep sleep."

"What the F- does that have to do with the price of tea in China?" Carmine asked. Then he turned to the Japanese crimelord. "No offense."

"I'm Japanese not Chinese."

"Anyway," the Riddler continued ignoring the gangsters' talking. "You forgot to invite one very important person."

"Who's that?" the Mexican crime lord asked.

"You forgot to invite Boss Zucco!" the Riddler exclaimed twirling around and pointing an accusing finger at the crime bosses. "You know what that means?"

"Boss Zucco is tired old man who should have retired long time ago."

"He's not the one retiring; you are."

"What? That's it! Guys moiderize this fairy faggot and his crew!" Carmine ordered as his men put out their guns, ready to shoot.

At that point, the Riddler's cell phone rang. "Yes? Oh, it's for you." The Riddler put his cell phone right next to a megaphone he whipped out of thin air.

_**"So you think I'm a tired old man, do you? I don't know nuthin about fairy tales but here's what bothers me. You dare have a huge meeting like this without consulting me? Never would I imagine you treating me with such disrespect!"**_

"Listen here, Zucco. You may be strong but we'll never bow down to your demands. We're taking over. This is our town now!" Carmine answered with the other crimelords nodding in agreement as their men backed them up, ready for the worse.

_**"Is that so? Because I'm such a nice guy I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse. You guys are going to get out of town."**_

"Or what?"

_**"You all die! That's it! Destroy them, Riddler!" **_!CLICK!

"What am I going to do with you people, hmmm?" the Riddler said with a sense of flare as he snapped his fingers, causing a few sparks to go off. Then he and his entourage began to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?

"Something wrong? Well, well. Since we're here talking I feel I should inform you that my business with Boss Zucco is at an end as of now."

"So? What is that to us?"

"**You** also are at an end."

"What? Koff! Koff!"

"Ah, yes. It's starting already. In a few moments you will all be dead from the poison gas," the Riddler explained as the men in the room started to fall to a sleep from which they would never awake. "Ta, ta!"

"How come you're not gasping for air?" Carmine demanded, noticing that the other gang lords and their men were unconscious, making him the last man standing as he finally fell to the floor, gasping for air.

"My friends and I have taken antidotes for the gas you've ingested. Now you know that I'm a criminal mastermind. Let that be a lesson to you, a permanent one," the Riddler said with a toothy grin as he looked down on the mobster.

"Wait! Koff! I'll pay you more than what Boss Zucco is paying you!"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I've already figured out where your money was and taken it. That even includes the money you had hidden all over town. You're through, Carmine. Nice doing business with you."

"No! Wait! Koff! Koff!"

"Ta ta!"

XXX

The next day, when Captain Gordon came to work, he noticed many of the cops there were perplexed over something. "What's going on, guys?"

"There's a new nut on the loose. He calls himself the Riddler. Word is that he dresses in flamboyant green outfits with question marks all over them. He's the one who's been leaving all those riddles at the scenes of his crimes."

"What riddle did he leave?" Gordon asked, enthused.

"Here it is." Whoever makes it, tells it not. Whoever takes it, knows it not. And whoever knows it wants it not.

"And this means?"

"We don't know what it means. But that's what the typed note said that was left at the scene of his last crime."

"What crime?" Gordon asked, finally interested.

"Allegedly, this Riddler guy killed off a lot of gang leaders who ran the different ethnic parts of town."

"I doubt this Riddler guy just killed all of them by chance. Someone probably hired him to do in their competition. Who runs all of those areas now?"

"We don't know for sure but the word out on the street is that Boss Zucco has taken over these areas."

"Hmm. Makes sense," Gordon answered.

"Yeah. But we don't have any proof. So what do you do?"

"We'll think of something." Then Captain Gordon went into his office. After having went through some paperwork he called a couple of detectives in.

Detective Montoya was an attractive, Latina woman with long black hair while Detective Allen was a tall, handsome African-American who was clear headed. "As you two know, we have a new nut on the loose. He calls himself the Riddler."

"You're talking about a nut in addition to the Batman?" Detective Allen asked sarcastically.

"Anyway," Gordon said, ignoring the crack. "I want you two to go to the crime scene, talk to the detectives there and start asking around in the street about this Riddler guy." Gordon then told them the riddle the Riddler left at the scene of the crime. "When you've gotten as much info as you can come back here and tell me what you found out."

"So you can tell the Batman what we found out so he can be the hero of the day?" Allen asked angrily

"Just do what I tell you to do. That will be all. Now go." After the detectives have left a shadow loomed in Gordon's office. "It's nice to see you, Batman."

"You're ability to sense another's presence is getting better, Gordon," Batman said darkly.

"I get plenty of practice these days. I guess you've heard about the Riddler already?"

"Yes. I've even heard the riddle he left."

"Do you know the answer to the riddle?"

"I have some suspicions but I'll inform you of them later." With that Batman vanished into thin air.

XXX

"Do you know how to use printing presses without being detected so that I can make my own counterfeit money?" the Riddler asked his extremely smart henchman who resembled a bespectacled geek.

"Yes, I can. But I'll be surprised if you're able to get all that equipment."

"I told you I'm a man of means. Now how long will it take to start printing money as soon as the printing presses arrive here, and how much money will you be able to print in a couple of hours?" the Riddler asked, all business.

"In a couple of days I can..."

"You'll do it in a couple of hours! I don't have time to waste." After leaving his genius henchman, the Riddler walked through his hidden-out-of-the-way hideout, regarding the other members of his gang.

"What do we have to do today, Boss?" one of the chief henchmen asked as the Riddler strolled in.

"We're going to where money is being printed and so we can steal the printing presses, make as much money as we can and then put the printing presses back where we found them. This way no one will know what has happened until it's too late."

"How are we going to do that without anybody knowing? It will take too long!"

"Listen up, Schmendric. We are going to go into these money making places, bypass the security and take away the plates, make our own copies then put the plates back. It's more important I do the voodoo I do so well without anyone knowing what I've done."

"All right, Boss. I just figured you'd want to do something with a flamboyant flare or something like that."

"You're right but I'm not going to just be flamboyant for no apparent purpose. There's a method to my madness. As soon as we're all set we'll be able to print our own money and buy what ever we want. It will ruin the city some but so what? Kew! Pid! Come on! We got work to do!"

"Those printing presses will be heavy, boss. How we are going to carry that all that stuff?"

"I've already told you that I'm a man of means. You've probably never heard of subspace or inter-dimensional portals so it's probably pointless to try to explain it to you but that's how I'm going to do it. I've invented a machine that will allow us to travel a distance, several miles. As soon as we brake into where they print money quietly, we'll grab the printing presses and bring them back here in our hideout."

"Where are we going?"

"Fort Knox! Now make sure everybody's ready to go! I need to concentrate."

The Riddler put his hands together, separated them, making a shoe box sized device appear. Then he pressed a button on the device as his henchmen readied themselves. !BEEP!BEEP! Upon the Riddler's command a glowing portal appeared!. "All right, everybody! Don't forget those specialized hand trucks and dolleys!" the Riddler motioned his men towards the portal.

The thirteen of them walked through the portal, pushing empty carts and other devices to carry away the heavy printing equipment.

After having stolen several plates and making his geek henchman make copies of them, the Riddler and his gang went back into these same banks and returned the money making plates, making sure none would be the wiser.

XXX

At the dead of night the Batman drove through the city in search of the Riddler. However he ended up finding some other criminals engaged in an usual kind of deal. "So do you have the girls?" a well dressed man with a suitcase of money asked the other guy who was dressed in low class street clothes.

"Yeah, they're right here." The man motioned to his cohorts who brought out four inhumanly beautiful teenage girls with nearly, impossibly sexy, perfect bodies. These girls had their mouths taped up and their hands tied behind their backs as they wore what looked like skimpy bikinis.

"Your plastic surgeons really did a wonderful job here. Where'd you find these girls?"

"We nabbed them at a rave party nightclub. They came in with fake IDs as we pretended to be fooled. It was so dark in there that nobody noticed they were gone until it was too late. They were drop dead gorgeous to begin with, but after Dr. Hugo Strange's body treatments," the thug grabbed one of the breasts of one of the more busty girls. "See that? They're firm and practically stand at attention."

"Yeah. But why are you so nervous?" The well dressed man regarded the fidgeting man for a moment.

"I'm still worried that **he** might show up. Let's finish this business arrangement quickly," the other man said, looking around to see if anyone was watching them and seeing no one.

"Relax. You have a much better chance of winning the lottery than running into him. Rico! Brondo! Put our new merchandise in the van. It's going to be fun breaking these girls in."

"I think not."

"What? Who said that?"

!SLAM! "Ungh!" Both Rico and Brondo moaned as they found themselves violently slammed together. The well dressed man looked to see his two very large henchmen lying on the ground.

"Rico! Brondo!" _"What's going on?" _The well dressed man whipped out a nine millimeter gun, pointing it at the darkness. "I have a gun!" !BLAM!BLAM!BLAM!

"Shots in the dark?"

"Who's there?"

At that moment a pair of white slits became visible in the darkness. "You're through, Mr. Danono," the eyes seemed to say darkly.

"No!" !BLAM!BLAM!BLAM! !CLICK!CLICK!CLICK!

"I said you're through!" !CRACK!

"Ungh!" Danono collapsed to the ground with a broken jaw.

XXX

"What are we going to do now, boss?" one of the smarter of henchmen asked, exhausted after having counted and organized all the money they had printed which was on over a hundred tables by one, fives and so on.

"Don't worry about that now, Maynard. What I have planned is going to be brilliant!" _"Oh, I can't wait until I put all this 'money' into the Gotham economy, the chaos will be simply be fantastic! But sooner or later Batman will show up to thwart my plans. The sooner the better! I'll have such a trap waiting for him when he does show up here!"_

XXX

**(1) **This is the kind of small mask Robin wears.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Be here next time when Riddler sets up his trap. Now I'd like to give props to those who gave me reviews for the last chapter.

Life at Zero, Super Sailor Ganymede, gen x, Sir Thames, They call me Bruce, luger 7

Much like the other characters of this fanfic, I've modified what this Riddler can do, making him different from canon. Here are his stats

FIGHTING: REMARKABLE(30) This means superior natural talent

AGILITY: REMARKABLE(30) This means superior talent, the ability to do agility based feats

STRENGTH: GOOD(10) This means being able to lift around 400 pounds

ENDURANCE: REMARKABLE(30) This means never tiring except for needing sleep

REASON: INCREDIBLE(40) This means genius:-level 1 (one focus); understand alien tech.

INTUITION: REMARKABLE(30) This means enhanced senses

PSYCHE: REMARKABLE(30) This means focused will

HEALTH: 100

KARMA: 100

RESOURCES: EXCELLENT

POPULARITY: -20

POWERS:

Invisibility: Incredible. Through the use of alchemy Riddler has the ability to become invisible. This works only for himself and the clothes he's wearing. However, this doesn't work in broad daylight against the naked eye. But it's still effective against video cameras and any kind of mechanical visual devices.

Subspace: This is a small dimension where the Riddler can put a limited amount of objects into and retrieve them at will.

EQUIPMENT

Uniform: The Riddler wears specialized clothes that give him Good(400 pounds of pressure whether killing or bashing) protection versus physical and energy attacks.

Question Mark Pistol: Made from Good material strength, and inflict Excellent(800 pounds of force) shooting damage

Puzzle Piece Bombs (x5): Explosives cause Remarkable Force damage to 1 area

He also has other various gadgets and equipment

TALENTS: Performer: Actor, Alchemy, Repair/Tinker, Video Surveillance, Ninja Training and Skills, Electronics, Martial Arts A, B, D, Acrobatics, Scholar: Puzzles, Mazes and Riddles

Contacts: Underworld


End file.
